


Just So Long and Long Enough

by enigmaticblue



Series: More Than Was Lost (Has Been Found) [6]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Brainwashing, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Science Husbands, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-16
Updated: 2018-11-15
Packaged: 2019-08-24 06:41:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 55,576
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16634918
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/enigmaticblue/pseuds/enigmaticblue
Summary: The reality creeps up on them slowly: someone is sabotaging the Avengers, probably from within. Tony feels his sanity slipping. Jennifer is trying to figure out her next steps. Pepper is still trying to figure out whether she can trust Phil with her heart. And Bruce—Bruce thinks he might just end up losing everything all over again.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, this is it, guys. This is the last long fic in this 'verse. I'm not going to tell you that there won't be other fics in the future, but they'll be shorter, and probably from other POVs. You can consider this series complete. Thanks for reading.
> 
> WARNINGS: I don't want to spoil too much, and but the brainwashing tag is there for a reason. See the end of the work for more details.

as freedom is a breakfastfood  
or truth can live with right and wrong  
or molehills are from mountains made  
—long enough and just so long

will being pay the rent of seem  
and genius please the talentgang  
and water most encourage flame  
  
as hatracks into peachtrees grow  
or hopes dance best on bald men’s hair  
and every finger is a toe  
and any courage is a fear  
—long enough and just so long  
will the impure think all things pure  
and hornets wail by children stung  
  
or as the seeing are the blind  
and robins never welcome spring  
nor flatfolk prove their world is round  
nor dingsters die at break of dong  
and common’s rare and millstones float  
—long enough and just so long  
tomorrow will not be too late  
  


worms are the words but joy’s the voice  
down shall go which and up come who  
breasts will be breasts thighs will be thighs  
deeds cannot dream what dreams can do  
—time is a tree(this life one leaf)  
but love is the sky and i am for you  
just so long and long enough  


 

 

**Prologue**

 

Bruce slips inside the safe room, finding Tony pacing. “Hey.”

 

“Bruce!” Tony says. “You’re going to get me out of here, right?”

 

“I can’t do that, Tony,” Bruce replies. “Did they tell you the arc reactor in Navarro came pretty close to blowing?”

 

Tony snorts. “That’s impossible. I didn’t build it to blow.”

 

“But you _are_ the one who could sabotage it like that,” Bruce replies. “It’s not me, it’s not FitzSimmons. You’re the only one, Tony. Or should I even call you Tony?”

 

Tony straightens, the emotion disappearing from his face, replaced by a cold smile. “I’m still Tony. I’m the better version.”

 

Bruce stares at him for a long moment. “I’m going to root Hydra out of your head. And then I’m going to burn it to the ground, root and branch. You messed with the wrong fucking team.”

 

“And do you think there will be anything left of the man you loved when you’re done?” Tony’s voice asks. “I’m here to stay, Brucie.”

 

“We’ll see about that,” Bruce mutters. When he gets outside, he leans against the wall, sliding down, letting his grief manifest fully for the first time.

 

He has no idea if it’s even possible to get Hydra out of Tony’s head, no idea how to ensure that Tony is no longer a loaded weapon. And a Hydra-controlled Iron Man could burn the whole world down.

**Part I**

 

Jennifer clotheslines a Hydra goon with a fierce grin, because even if the mission has gone poorly from the first, she still loves the fight.

 

Plus, she’s invulnerable.

 

She frowns when Clint swears a blue streak over the coms. “Hawkeye? You okay?”

 

“I missed!” Clint replies, sounding aggrieved.

 

“Everybody misses once in a while,” Jennifer replies, punching another bad guy in the face. “You’re only human.”

 

“I don’t miss!” Clint protests. “That’s my superpower! It has to be the arrow.”

 

“Aren’t your arrows Stark Tech?” Jennifer counters. “Tony doesn’t make shitty stuff.”

 

“Can we table this discussion?” Steve asks, sounding out of breath. “I’m pinned down.”

 

“Sorry, Cap,” Clint replies. “On my way now.”

 

Jennifer winces. “Same here. Widow, what’s your status?”

 

“I’ve made entrance into the base,” she replies. “I should be able to plant the device. Just keep them tied up out there.”

 

The base they’re targeting is south of Munich in a rural area, one of those grand homes that’s fallen into disrepair. As near as Jennifer has been able to figure out, Hydra’s leadership is mostly European, which means that stamping Hydra out requires international action. She thinks that’s why the world seems content to let the Avengers handle it.

 

She really wishes Sam were here for this. He has a knack for showing up wherever he’s needed most, but Sam still works at the VA and he had a couple of groups he hadn’t wanted to cancel or find a substitute for.

 

Plus, there weren’t supposed to be so many Hydra agents that they’d need him. Clint’s only there because he’s hot off another mission. The original plan had been for her, Natasha, and Steve alone.

 

By the time Jennifer reaches Steve’s position, Clint has picked off a few of the Hydra agents who pinned Steve down, and Steve is able to use his shield again. Jennifer takes care of the rest of the Hydra agents, and then there seems to be a lull in the battle.

 

“I’m out,” Natasha says. “Meet you at the Quinjet.”

 

Hopefully, the plan is a success. They won’t know for sure if Tony’s malware works until they get back to the compound.

 

Clint pilots the Quinjet with Natasha in the seat next to him, and Jennifer chows down on a protein bar.

 

“I’m telling you, it was the arrow,” Clint says once they’re in the air. “My aim was fine.”

 

“Tony’s tech is good,” Jennifer protests between bites. “And no one has a perfect score.”

 

“I did, until today,” Clint says sulkily. “And what was up with all the goons? I thought our intel said the base was sparsely populated.”

 

“Sometimes your intel is bad,” Steve says philosophically. “Or maybe there was a reason that Hydra beefed up security.”

 

“I have to agree with Clint,” Natasha says, sounding almost apologetic. “I’ve been working with him for ages, and he’s never missed before.”

 

Jennifer shrugs. “Well, the same principle applies to Tony. His tech is good, but no one is perfect.”

 

“Don’t tell Tony that,” Clint snarks.

 

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” Jennifer replies. “It’s not like he’d listen to me anyway. He hasn’t been listening to anybody other than Bruce.”

 

_And not always,_ she thinks. Bruce has been looking a little worn around the edges recently.

 

As near as Jennifer can tell, Tony is suffering from PTSD, which isn’t surprising given everything he’s been through. Knowing Bruce, he’s trying to keep everybody together without thinking too much about himself.

 

She needs to call Bruce, to see how he’s doing.

 

Jennifer has thrown herself into Avengers’ business over the last year, and while she misses the practice of law, she knows that she’s making the world a better place, a safer place.

 

It’s early morning when they arrive at the compound, and Jennifer has slept on the Quinjet, so she gets cleaned up and gets to work.

 

She calls Bruce first thing, knowing he’ll probably be awake.

 

“Hey, how did the mission go?” Bruce asks. He’s wearing a rumpled purple shirt, and his tie is askew. “Everybody okay?”

 

“We’re all good,” Jennifer replies, and decides not to tell him about the bad intelligence. Bruce doesn’t need something else to worry about. “How are you? You look tired.”

 

“Tony hasn’t been sleeping well,” Bruce admits, keeping his voice low. “And if he’s not sleeping, neither am I most of the time. Did you run into any problems?”

 

Jennifer knows that Bruce keeps changing the subject, deflecting her concern, which means he’s really worried and isn’t ready to talk about it. She decides to let it slide for now. “Nothing we couldn’t handle. No one got injured, the virus got planted, everything is good. Although, I think Clint missed for the first time. He was kind of pissed.”

 

Bruce chuckles. “We all have our buttons. What did Clint say?”

 

“He blamed the arrow,” Jennifer replies. “One of Tony’s.”

 

Bruce frowns. “Do you believe him?”

 

“Does it matter?” Jennifer asks. “Whether Clint missed, or Tony created a piece of imperfect tech, it’s all the same.”

 

Bruce see-saws his hand. “Maybe, maybe not.”

 

“This about Tony not sleeping?” Jennifer asks.

 

“It’s about me wanting to be sure I don’t need to be double checking Tony’s work,” Bruce says. “He’s having a rough time right now.”

 

Jennifer frowns. “Do you want me to ask when Tony built it?”

 

“I’ll call Clint and ask him myself,” Bruce replies. “I want to keep this quiet for now.”

 

“Sure,” Jennifer says immediately. “No one will hear anything from me. Is there something else going on?”

 

Bruce shrugs. “There have been some glitches at SI. Pepper asked me to look into it, so I’m heading out to LA pretty soon. Look, I know you’re busy with the team, but I’d really appreciate it if you’d check on Tony while I’m gone. You don’t have to be here the whole time, but—”

 

“Of course,” Jennifer says immediately. “I’ll drive down the day after tomorrow. How long are you going to be gone?”

 

“A few days, maybe a week,” Bruce replies. “Thanks, Jen.”

 

“Love you, cuz,” Jennifer says. “You know I’d do anything for you guys.”

 

Bruce smiles. “I know. Right back at you.”

 

Jennifer leans back in her chair when the call ends, her worry not at all assuaged.

 

~~~~~

 

Bruce eats the oatmeal he’s made and glances at the clock. He has to leave in fifteen minutes, and he’s wondering if Tony is going to show up before he does.

 

He’s been trying to give Tony space while at the same time keeping a close eye on him, but it hasn’t been easy. The thing with Hydra had shaken Tony up, and he’s not sleeping again.

 

Bruce breathes a little sigh of relief when Tony steps off the elevator, wiping his hands on a rag. Tony has been spending a lot of time on his cars recently, but Bruce doesn’t think that’s a bad thing.

 

And at least Tony isn’t shutting him out.

 

“You taking off?” Tony asks.

 

Bruce nods. “Are you sure you’re okay with this?”

 

“Pepper asked for your help,” Tony replies. “So you have to go.”

 

“That’s not what I asked,” Bruce replies. “I’m worried about you, Tony.”

 

Tony nods. “You know me. I bounce back.”

 

“It’s been months.”

 

“Well, maybe I’m not bouncing back as quickly, but I’ll be fine,” Tony insists.

 

Bruce sees the dark circles under his eyes, the clear signs of stress, and he steps forward, pulling Tony into a hug. “Call me if you need me.”

 

“I always need you,” Tony replies. “But I’ll be fine. Don’t worry so much.”

 

“We’re married,” Bruce says dryly. “I’m pretty sure that means I’m contractually obligated to worry about you. Try to get some sleep while I’m gone, okay?”

 

“I have Jarvis looking out for me,” Tony replies. “I’ll be fine.”

 

Bruce isn’t sure he believes that, but he gives Tony a kiss. “I’ll see you in a few days.”

 

“Take the time you need,” Tony replies. “I need—I need to know that things are okay, Bruce.”

 

Bruce knows what he means. Tony needs to know that things are being taken care of, especially since he’s not in a place to do that right now. “You can count on me.”

 

“I know I can,” Tony replies. “Thanks.”

 

Bruce gives him a last, lingering kiss. “I’ll call when I get in.”

 

He hates to leave Tony at any time, but especially now, when he’s still struggling with what happened while being held by Hydra. It’s been a few months, but Bruce is well aware that there’s no time frame for dealing with trauma, and Tony’s had more than his share.

 

Cumulative trauma is a thing, and it’s one of the reasons Bruce is so worried.

 

Still, they both have their own responsibilities, and Pepper asked for Bruce’s help. Maybe she could have asked Tony, but they’ve all been careful around him recently. They all know he’s struggling.

 

Bruce manages to nap on the flight out. He’s short on sleep, and the time difference is probably going to fuck with him. He hadn’t even protested the use of the corporate jet, because he’d like to minimize things he has to worry about.

 

He’s not comforted by the fact that Pepper comes to greet him personally. “I’m not sure what I’ve done to deserve the personal touch.”

 

“Besides being my friend?” Pepper asks. “And besides me being worried about you?”

 

“I thought we were worried about Tony,” Bruce counters, climbing into the backseat of the car with her. There’s glass between them and the driver, so they have privacy.

 

“I can be worried about more than one person at a time,” Pepper counters. “And you’re worried about Tony. I can worry about you.”

 

Bruce smiles. “You’re a good friend.”

 

“I hope I am,” Pepper says. “Although I’m sorry to have called you away.”

 

“Tony needs to know things are taken care of,” Bruce says. “Tell me what’s been going on.”

 

Pepper sighs. “It’s strange. There have been some glitches recently, and I know that’s to be expected in a business the size of SI, but these seem to be targeted.”

 

“Targeted, how?” Bruce asks.

 

“Shipments of key materiel getting shipped to the wrong factories,” Pepper begins, “which shut down production. If it had just happened once, I’d brush it off, but it’s happened three times. A couple of factories had system malfunctions that no one can explain. It’s a lot of little things, but it’s starting to add up, and it’s making me think we might be dealing with corporate espionage.”

 

Bruce nods. “And you asked me to look at the problem because I’m an expert?”

 

“I trust you, and you know SI inside and out,” Pepper replies. “You know it even better than Tony does.”

 

Bruce runs a hand through his hair. “You could ask Jarvis.”

 

“These are all glitches that shouldn’t have happened without Jarvis knowing,” Pepper replies. “If it’s espionage, that would explain it.”

 

“You think someone managed to subvert Jarvis?” Bruce asks.

 

“I don’t know,” Pepper replies. “But I don’t want to risk alerting anyone. That’s the other reason I asked you to look into it. If you’re poking around, it won’t raise anyone’s suspicions.”

 

Bruce doesn’t need one more thing on his plate right now, but he can’t refuse Pepper’s request. She’s his boss and his friend, and Bruce is well aware that Stark Industries needs to maintain its position. SI funds the Avengers, and provides a certain amount of cover politically.

 

And he certainly doesn’t want to burden Tony with this, not right now.

 

“I’ll take care of it,” Bruce replies. “Depending on what I discover, I might need to enlist some help.”

 

Pepper nods. “Who are you thinking?”

 

“Scott Lang,” Bruce says. “He’s loyal, and he’s smart.”

 

Pepper nods. “I agree. Anyone else?”

 

“Skye,” Bruce replies. “If I need a hacker, and Coulson can spare her.”

 

Pepper nods. “I’ll talk to Phil when the time comes.”

 

“I’ll get started right away,” Bruce promises. “I can work from the LA office. I have a few tricks to keep my activities quiet. Once I have a handle on what’s going on, I’ll contact Scott. We can set up a monitoring system, and see if there’s a pattern, and if we can identify the person responsible.”

 

Pepper smiles, her expression one of relief. “Thank you, Bruce. I feel much better knowing that you’re going to be working on this.”

 

“Of course,” Bruce replies. “Anything I can do for you, you know that.”

 

“The same goes for me, too,” Pepper replies. “Is there anything you need from me?”

 

Bruce shakes his head. “No, not right now. We’ll get through this, too.”

 

They’ve managed to get through everything else so far. Bruce believes they’ll figure it out.

 

~~~~~

 

Pepper has been busy over the last few months, keeping things running at SI, and keeping an eye on political developments. Pym Technologies took a huge hit after word got out that Darren Cross planned on selling weapons to Hydra and was arrested for treason.

 

Stark Industries doesn’t have a lot of competition right now, and its stock is rising steadily, not so fast to be considered inflated, but fast enough to demonstrate market dominance.

 

And she and Phil are at least talking again, so her personal life isn’t in bad shape either.

 

The problems seem to be targeted events, though, and that indicates someone might be attacking from within. After what happened to Tony, after SHIELD getting taken down from the inside, Pepper isn’t going to take chances.

 

When she parts ways with Bruce at the Los Angeles base of operations, Pepper goes to her office, confident that she’s left the problem in capable hands.

 

“Ms. Potts,” her assistant calls as she approaches her office. “I’m sorry, but there’s been another problem with the site in Mexico. Someone called in a bomb threat.”

 

Pepper frowns. “Has the site been cleared by the authorities?”

 

“Yes, ma’am, it seems to have been a false alarm,” Nicole replies. “Should I do anything else?”

 

“Report all anomalies to Dr. Banner,” Pepper orders. “He’s looking into the matter. I want to keep this quiet, though.”

 

“Of course, ma’am,” Nicole replies. “Is Dr. Banner onsite today?”

 

“He is,” Pepper replies. “And he’ll be here for the next few days. Please see that he has everything he needs.”

 

Pepper checks the time, and calls Tony, who actually picks up for a change. “How are you?” she asks, seeing the dark circles under his eyes.

 

“I’m busy,” Tony replies. “I’m working on something right now, and you stole my husband.”

 

“I _borrowed_ your husband,” Pepper counters. “I need him right now, or I wouldn’t have called him away.”

 

Tony grimaces. “Yeah, I know.”

 

“And?” Pepper asks. “You didn’t answer my question.”

 

“I’m having trouble sleeping,” Tony admits. “But otherwise, I’m fine. I’ll probably head up to the compound while Bruce is gone.”

 

“I think that’s a good idea,” Pepper replies. “I’m glad you’re taking care of yourself.”

 

Tony looks up at her finally. “Is everything okay with you?”

 

“I’m good,” Pepper replies. “I’ll make sure your company is well taken care of.”

 

“I never doubted that for a moment,” Tony replies. “I need to get back to work.”

 

Pepper sighs. “I’ll talk to you later.”

 

Tony’s image winks out, and Pepper leans back in her chair. She takes a deep breath and begins to work through the financial reports she’d been given.

 

~~~~~

 

Tony blinks at the computer screen, looking away from the plans for the therapy device he’s creating, checking the time. He’s been working for six hours straight, and he hasn’t made nearly as much progress as he’d hoped.

 

His plan to build a device to work through trauma is slow going, and it’s probably cost-prohibitive, but Tony feels compelled to build it. Not just for himself, but for others, too.

 

So many people have been hurt by Tony’s weapons, but he could make something that would help fix the damage caused.

 

He stretches and Jarvis says, “Sir, you have a message from Dr. Banner.”

 

“Play it, J,” Tony replies.

 

“Hey, Tony, I made it safely,” Bruce says. “I guess you’re pretty busy. I think I’m going to be stuck here for a few days, and then I’m going up to San Francisco to visit Lang. Give me a call when you get a chance. Love you.”

 

Tony figures that he must not have heard the call, and he says, “Call Bruce.”

 

“Hey, everything okay?” Bruce asks immediately when he picks up.

 

“Yeah, I was just focused and didn’t hear the phone,” Tony assures him. “How’s it going on your end?”

 

Bruce shrugs. “Pepper asked me to investigate some issues at SI, so I’m going to take a look. It might be a few days before I’m back.”

 

Tony nods. “I might head upstate.”

 

“I think that would be a good idea,” Bruce says. “Give Jen a call before you go, though. She’s going to stop by the Tower the day after tomorrow. You can drive up with her.”

 

Tony frowns. “I’m fine, Bruce.”

 

“I know you’re fine, but Hydra targeted you for a reason, and I’d rather not give them another crack at you,” Bruce replies. “Just—be careful.”

 

“I’ll take every precaution,” Tony promises.

 

“Good.” Bruce glances away from him. “Sorry, I have to go, I’m meeting with one of the engineers for the anti-pollution measures on the main arc reactor. Talk to you later?”

 

“Absolutely, string bean,” Tony says.

 

Bruce rolls his eyes, but he’s smiling when he ends the call.

 

Tony figures he should probably get something to eat before he goes back to work. Maybe if he eats something, it will be easier for him to concentrate, and he’ll make some progress.

 

~~~~~

 

Jennifer has every intention of going into the city as Bruce asked, but Tony calls her the day after the mission and tells her not to bother. “I’m good, and I’m planning on coming up in a couple of days,” Tony says. “I’m working on something big right now.”

 

“Are you sure?” Jennifer asks. “I don’t mind.”

 

“I know Bruce asked you to check on me, and I’m _fine_ ,” Tony grouses. “Like I said, I have a project, I’m busy.”

 

“So don’t bother you?” Jennifer is a little amused. “Fine, but if Bruce gets irritated with me, I’m blaming you.”

 

“Feel free,” Tony says.

 

Jennifer laughs. “Well, I’m going to call you in a day or two, and if you don’t answer, I’ll be there with bells on, and you know it.”

 

“I do,” Tony replies. “See you in a few days, Jen.”

 

Maybe it’s a good thing that Tony discourages her from coming down to the city, because the very next day, they get word of a potential Hydra attack.

 

“How good is this intelligence?” Steve asks Maria Hill.

 

They’re sitting around the conference room table at the compound, with Hill’s face on the screen at one end of the room. “It’s solid,” Hill assures them. “An agent gave his life to get us this information.”

 

Jennifer winces. “I’m sorry.”

 

Hill seems to brush that aside. “We believe there is going to be a meeting among some of the top Hydra agents. This is an unprecedented chance to take a few of them out.”

 

“Agreed,” Steve says. “I don’t want a repeat of the last mission, and we don’t want to risk them getting away. I think we need Sam on this one.”

 

“Given the location, aerial support will be important,” Hill replies. “I can give you half a dozen SHIELD agents as well.”

 

Clint leans forward. “Let’s see the plans.”

 

Jennifer feels like she’s starting to get used to thinking tactically as plans for the meeting place replace Hill’s face on the screen. “Do we have a three dimensional map?” she asks.

 

“We weren’t able to get anything other than flat pictures,” Hill replies. “We were lucky to get that much.”

 

Jennifer feels vaguely chastised. “Right. Sorry.”

 

“The meeting is supposedly taking place in one of the inner rooms. I think it’s safe to say that the house will be fiercely guarded,” Hill continues. “If what we’ve seen is anything to go by, there will be guards on the perimeter of the grounds, stationed around the entrances, and on the roof.”

 

The location appears to be a mansion on extensive grounds located in Connecticut, and that would just figure. Everything Jennifer has learned about Hydra indicates that they have a lot of money, and have been building up their fortunes.

 

“There’s not a lot of cover around the perimeter,” Clint points out. “It’s going to be tough to get in close without being seen.”

 

“I think we’re going to have to drop in,” Steve says.

 

Natasha frowns. “The meeting is taking place midafternoon. We’ll be spotted too easily.”

 

“What about the masks?” Jennifer asks. “Can we infiltrate that way?”

 

“They aren’t letting anybody leave before the meeting,” Hill replies. “We’ll have no chance to replace anybody.”

 

“There’s a weakness in the perimeter here,” Natasha says, pointing. “With a sufficient distraction, we could make entry here.”

 

“A distraction is just going to warn them we’re coming,” Clint argues.

 

Jennifer kind of tunes out the discussion, because she has nothing to add, and she knows this is a part of the process. Instead, she thinks about Bruce and what’s going on with SI, and she knows she’s not going to be able to check on Tony.

 

Hopefully, Bruce will forgive her.

 

“Jen? What do you think?”

 

Steve’s question causes her to flush. “Sorry. I was thinking about something else.”

 

Clint smirks, Natasha raises an eyebrow, and Steve sighs. “Pay attention, Jen.”

 

“I’m worried about Tony!” she protests. “I was supposed to go see him, and I’m here, and I’m worried.”

 

“We’re all worried about Tony,” Steve replies more gently. “But right now, we have a mission.”

 

Jennifer takes a deep breath. “Right. Got it. I’m listening.”

 

“In training, you’ve been the fastest, Jen,” Steve says. “You and I will approach from the back and front and take out the guards in a blitz attack while Natasha and Clint take out the rooftop guards from long range.”

 

Jennifer nods. “Okay, yeah, I can do that.”

 

“Sam will get dropped in and start from the top of the house while we go for the center,” Steve says. “Since we’re approaching it from either side of the house, they shouldn’t be able to get past us.”

 

“We leave just before dawn,” Steve adds. “That will give us time to get situated.”

 

Jennifer does the math and realizes that she’s going to be in the woods for hours, which doesn’t exactly make her happy. “Got it. I’ll be ready.”

 

She has time to call Tony, though, and is glad when he answers. “If it isn’t my other favorite green person,” Tony says. “What’s up?”

 

“Are you still planning on coming up?” Jennifer asks. “Because we’ve got a mission, and we’re leaving early tomorrow. It probably won’t take too long, but—”

 

“Don’t worry about it,” Tony says immediately. “I’ve got some work to do anyway. What’s the mission? Do you need me?”

 

“No, we just got word that some Hydra leaders are meeting at a mansion in Connecticut,” Jennifer replies. “We’re going to try to capture them.”

 

“Well, good luck,” Tony says. “Let me know when you’re back.”

 

“Thanks,” Jennifer replies. “Take care of yourself, Tony.”

 

“Always,” Tony says and ends the call.

 

Jennifer takes a deep breath and calls Bruce next. “Hey, Jen,” Bruce says tiredly. “What’s up?”

 

“How are you?” Jennifer counters. “Because you sound exhausted.”

 

“I have all the work I’ve been neglecting, plus Pepper’s project,” Bruce replies, sounding distracted. “I’ve been a little busy. How’s Tony?”

 

“He said he was coming up to the compound, and now we have a time-sensitive mission,” Jennifer says apologetically. “But Tony says he’s fine.”

 

Bruce snorts. “I’m sure. Tony always says he’s fine. But don’t worry about it, Jen. You’re doing important work. Jarvis will keep an eye on him.”

 

“Don’t work too hard, cuz,” Jennifer says.

 

“No such thing in this line of work,” Bruce replies wryly. “Be careful, and let me know how it turns out.”

 

“Will do,” Jennifer replies and ends the call.

 

“I hear there’s a mission ahead.”

 

Jennifer turns and grins at Sam. “Hey, you.”

 

They’re not dating, not exactly, but they’ve been seeing a lot of each other, and there are a lot of benefits whenever they can squeeze them in.

 

Jennifer keeps telling herself that it’s a terrible idea, but she can’t seem to quit him. He’s cute and smart and nicely shaped, and they’re around each other a lot, and Jennifer likes getting laid.

 

And she might be developing feelings. In spite of her best efforts.

 

Sam gives her a quick kiss. “From what Steve says, you’re going to be leading the charge.”

 

“The house has a lawn, and it’s green,” Jennifer replies. “Maybe they won’t see me.”

 

Sam laughs. “Maybe not. You feeling okay about it?”

 

She shrugs. “Sure, why wouldn’t I? I’m the invulnerable one.”

 

“Still, big mission,” Sam points out. “Assuming we’re successful.”

 

“We will be,” Jennifer says confidently. “This is too good of an opportunity to miss out on.”

 

Sam smiles. “I like your confidence, Jen.”

 

“It’s one of my better qualities.” She gives him a cheeky grin. “What do you think about the mission?”

 

Sam shrugs. “I don’t know. I have an itch between my shoulder blades about this one.”

 

Jennifer frowns. “Any particular reason?”

 

“Nothing I can put my finger on,” Sam replies. “It’s probably nothing.”

 

Those are famous last words.

 

The first part of the mission goes off without a hitch. They get dropped in before the sun comes up and take up positions in the woods. Jennifer isn’t very good at sitting in one position and not moving for hours on end, unlike Clint, but that’s the job this time, and Jen _is_ used to sucking it up.

 

“Ready,” Clint says, just before they’re scheduled to move.

 

“In position,” Natasha confirms.

 

“Coming in hot,” Sam says.

 

“On my order,” Steve says.

 

Jennifer shakes the cramps out of her legs, moving as little as possible, and feels the transformation overtake her. She prepares to move quickly, and when Steve says, “Now!” she bursts out of the trees.

 

She immediately begins taking fire from the guards, and she curses. Given their reaction times, it’s almost like the guards knew they were coming.

 

“No shot, no shot,” Clint says. “The targets have taken cover.”

 

Sam swears, and Jennifer hears an explosion. She doesn’t have time to ask him if he’s okay, because she’s on the guards, trying to take them out.

 

“I’m down,” Sam says breathlessly. “I’m not going to be able to help you guys.”

 

“How bad, Falcon?” Steve asks, also sounding winded.

 

Sam groans. “I think my leg is broken.”

 

“Shit, can you get under cover?” Clint asks. “I’m a ways out yet.”

 

“Don’t worry about me,” Sam says. “Finish the mission.”

 

Jennifer hates herself just a little bit for leaving him, but she knows he’s right. Her guards are down, and she barrels into the house, heading for the room where the meeting is taking place. She yanks the door open and hears a click.

 

In a split second, Jennifer realizes there’s a bomb, and she throws herself to the side, shouting, “Bomb!”

 

She throws herself to the side and feels a great flash of heat, and knows no more.

 

~~~~~

 

Bruce hasn’t had much luck with Pepper’s project. He’s taken a run at the problem, but other than the targeted nature of the errors, he can’t figure out the root of it.

 

He ends up getting distracted by the other projects he has for SI, the ones he hasn’t been able to work on for the last couple of months. He’s been distracted by Avengers’ business and his concern for Tony, and he’s fallen behind.

 

But being in Los Angeles, he’s actually been able to sleep, and while he misses Tony, he’s grateful for the break.

 

Bruce feels guilty about that, but he’ll take a reprieve where he can get one.

 

He glances at the clock and realizes that it would be late evening in New York. Jennifer should have called by now.

 

Feeling a little worried, he dials Jen’s number and gets her voicemail. The LA offices aren’t wired with Jarvis, so Bruce can’t ask him. He tries Maria Hill next, but she fails to answer as well.

 

Bruce drums his fingers on his desk. He isn’t sure who to call next, and is relieved when his phone rings a few minutes later with a number that belongs to the compound. “Hello?”

 

“Bruce, it’s me,” Natasha says. “There was a problem with the mission.”

 

“What kind of problem?” Bruce asks. “Where’s Jen?”

 

“She’s in the hospital wing, unconscious,” Natasha replies. “The doctor says she’ll make a full recovery, though.”

 

Bruce frowns. “Did someone hit her with a tranq?” As far as he knows, that’s the only thing that will take down a Hulk.

 

“There was an explosion,” Natasha replies. “She was right next to the blast. We’re lucky she was the one who made it inside the house first. If it had been anyone else, they’d be dead.”

 

Bruce grimaces. “And the others?”

 

“Steve was close but managed enough cover so he only got a little singed,” Natasha says. “Clint and I are uninjured, and Sam’s leg is broken.”

 

Bruce breathes out a curse. “What the hell happened?”

 

“They were waiting for us,” Natasha replies grimly. “I don’t know how they knew we were coming. Hill doesn’t think it was any of her people that warned them, but the only ones who knew about the plan were us and the SHIELD agents.”

 

Bruce grimaces. “I didn’t even know what the plan was. Jen told me there was a mission, but not what you were doing, or where you were going.”

 

Natasha sighs. “I know. How much longer are you going to be in Los Angeles?”

 

“I was planning on staying a few more days, but I’ll plan to head back as soon as I can,” Bruce replies. “I’ll pick Tony up from the Tower, and head up to the compound.”

 

“I’ve tried to call Tony several times, but he wouldn’t pick up,” Natasha says. “Jarvis says he’s indisposed.”

 

“I’ll try calling next,” Bruce promises. “Tony hasn’t been sleeping well, and he gets like this sometimes. He’ll take my call.”

 

“Let’s hope so,” Natasha replies. “Is he still compromised?”

 

“Very much so,” Bruce replies. “So, it would be better if he wasn’t sent on any missions.”

 

Natasha pauses. “Agreed. But Bruce, we might end up needing him.”

 

Bruce sighs. “I know. I’ll see you soon.”

 

He immediately calls Tony, who answers on the second ring. “Hello, love of my life.”

 

Bruce feels a smile tug at his lips. “I’m coming home, Tony. Jennifer was injured.”

 

“Jen is hurt?” Tony asks, clearly alarmed. “What happened?”

 

“Apparently, Hulks can get blown up,” Bruce replies, trying to make light of it because he doesn’t want Tony more worried than he needs to be. “Natasha said she’ll be fine, though.”

 

“Are you okay?” Tony asks.

 

Bruce closes his eyes for a moment. “I’m worried. I’m going to fly back as soon as I can. I’ll come by the Tower first, though.”

 

“Don’t worry about it,” Tony replies. “I’ll head up tonight and meet you there.”

 

Bruce frowns. “Are you driving or flying?”

 

“Flying, of course,” Tony replies. “Don’t worry about me, Bruce. I slept just fine last night, and I’m good to go. Take the corporate jet. It’s in LA.”

 

“I don’t know if Pepper is using it,” Bruce objects.

 

“She’ll understand if you need it,” Tony points out. “And she might want to come along for the ride. You know how close she and Jen are.”

 

Bruce blows out a breath. “Right, you’re right. I’m not thinking straight. I’m sorry.”

 

“Don’t apologize,” Tony orders. “Just call Pep, tell her what’s going on, and get here. I’ll meet you at the compound.”

 

“Thanks, Tony,” Bruce replies. “I love you.”

 

“Love you, too.” Tony smiles at him crookedly. “See you soon.”

 

Bruce ends the call, feeling slightly relieved. Tony actually seems closer to his old self today, and Bruce hopes they’ve turned the corner.

 

~~~~~

 

Pepper actually gets the news from Phil first, who calls her before Natasha can call Bruce. “I’m keeping you in the loop,” Phil says. “There was a mission that went bad, and Jennifer and Sam Wilson were injured.”

 

Pepper frowns. “How bad?”

 

“Jennifer is unconscious, but expected to make a full recovery, and Sam’s leg is broken,” Phil replies. “Natasha is going to notify Bruce.”

 

“He’ll want to get back right away,” Pepper surmises.

 

Phil hums his agreement. “Likely, yes.”

 

“Did you lose anybody?” Pepper asks.

 

Phil sighs. “Two agents. They were covering Jen and got caught in the blast.”

 

“I’m sorry, Phil,” Pepper says immediately.

 

Phil is quiet. “Hydra knew they were coming. There’s a mole somewhere.”

 

“There’s something rotten at SI, too,” Pepper says. “Bruce is looking into it.”

 

“Are you okay?” Phil asks.

 

Pepper takes a deep breath. “I’m worried, but I’m fine. You?”

 

“About the same,” Phil replies. “I’ll call you if I find anything else out.”

 

Pepper expects Bruce’s call, and she’s already called the pilot to tell him that they need to leave as soon as possible, and receives word that they can leave in a couple of hours.

 

As soon as Bruce calls, she says, “We’re leaving in two hours.”

 

There’s a pause. “Who called you?” Bruce asks.

 

“Phil did,” Pepper replies. “I’m going with you.”

 

“I might not be able to make as much progress on that project as I’d hoped,” Bruce says, an apology in his voice.

 

Pepper laughs, although without much humor. “Bruce, don’t worry about that right now. Just focus on Jen and Tony.”

 

“I think Tony is doing better,” Bruce says. “When I talked to him today, he seemed like his old self.”

 

“That’s good,” Pepper replies. “I’m glad to hear it.”

 

But she wonders how much of that is wishful thinking, and Bruce wanting something to go right for once.

 

~~~~~

 

Tony feels more awake after Bruce’s call than he has for months. Bruce and Jen need him, and he feels as though he has a purpose, a surge of adrenalin clearing his head. “Create a flight plan, Jarvis,” he orders. “I’m going to take the suit.”

 

He hasn’t put the suit on in weeks, and that’s an oversight on his part. How has he not put the suit on? He really hasn’t been himself lately; no wonder Bruce has been worried.

 

He revels in the freedom of the sky, in what the suit gives to him, and he feels like he’s leaving a burden behind, although he can’t put his finger on what it is.

 

But Tony has been feeling off since being held by Hydra, so he chalks it up to that. He’s still getting over it, and various people have told him that it takes time.

 

He lands at the compound and sends the armor away, heading directly for the infirmary to see Jennifer.

 

Steve intercepts him on his way in. “Hey, Tony. I’m glad you could make it.”

 

“Of course,” Tony replies. “She’s family.”

 

“She’s still unconscious,” Steve says. “But the doctors do think she’ll wake up soon.”

 

Tony raises his eyebrows. “And you’re stopping me from seeing her because?”

 

“Because we haven’t seen you in weeks, and I was worried about you,” Steve says frankly. “I wanted to check in with you.”

 

Tony is unexpectedly touched. “Thanks. I’ve felt like I’m in a fog for a while, but today it was better.”

 

“That happens,” Steve replies. “It’s just going to take time. It’s good to see you, though, Tony. We’ve missed you.”

 

There’s a part of Tony’s brain that raises an alarm at that. If _Steve_ is expressing concern, then maybe something is really wrong.

 

But what he does say is, “Thanks, Steve. I’ve missed you guys, too. I didn’t realize how much until I flew up.”

 

Steve claps him on the shoulder. “I hope I see more of you from now on. Even if you’re not ready to go out in the field.”

 

“I’ll try,” Tony promises.

 

Steve doesn’t try to keep him after that, and Tony makes a beeline for Jennifer. She’s in a cot, half hidden by a curtain, but with no visible signs of injury. Tony pulls up a seat and takes her hand, feeling more than a little guilty. Maybe if he’d been there, if he hadn’t—

 

His brain stutters over that last bit. Maybe he hadn’t been there when she’d been hurt, but they all agreed that Tony isn’t ready to go back into the field. Jennifer even told him to take his time.

 

He’s here now, and that’s what matters, Tony tells himself. He’ll go back out with the team when he’s feeling steadier.

 

Jennifer begins to stir, and Tony leans in a little closer. “Jen?”

 

“Oh, man,” she groans. “I feel like I got hit by a bus.”

 

“Well, you _did_ get blown up,” Tony replies. “Apparently, even Hulks can be harmed by explosions.”

 

“Bruce would have been able to shake it off,” Jennifer replies. “Am I back at the Tower?”

 

“No, we’re upstate,” Tony replies. “I flew up when I heard what happened.”

 

Jennifer blinks at him. “How did it go?”

 

“Great,” Tony replies. “It’s good to get out of the Tower, and I’ve missed flying.”

 

She struggles to sit up, and Tony says, “Hang on a second, and I’ll adjust the bed. You should probably talk to the doctor before you get up.”

 

He adjusts the bed so that she’s a little more upright, and she winces. “Ow.”

 

“Is the room spinning?” Tony asks sympathetically, having been blown up often enough to know a little bit about how she’s probably feeling.

 

“A little bit,” she replies. “I never thought I’d feel this way again.”

 

“What way is that?”

 

“Bruised,” Jennifer says wryly. “I got used to the idea that I’m invulnerable.”

 

“Maybe try to not be at ground zero in the future,” Tony teases.

 

Jennifer laughs. “Yeah, I’ll try to keep that in mind. Is Bruce with you?”

 

“He was working on a project for Pepper in LA,” Tony replies. “But I know he’ll be here as soon as he can.”

 

His phone chimes, and he sees the text from Bruce. “Looks like they’re wheels up in five, so he’ll be here in a few hours,” Tony says. “Why don’t you get a little more rest, and I’ll grab a doctor.”

 

Dr. Hillier is already heading over, though, with a nurse in tow, and Tony backs off so they can work. He feels a little agitated, but chalks it up to worry and anticipation over seeing Bruce again. They’ve been separated for a few days now, and Tony is ready to have his husband back.

 

“How is she?”

 

Tony turns to see Sam standing there, a cast on his leg and leaning on crutches. “Good. A little disoriented, and definitely sore, but she seems to be okay.”

 

Sam breathes a sigh of relief. “Good. I gotta tell you, I had a bad moment when I heard she was down. I didn’t think anything could do that.”

 

“I don’t think anybody did,” Tony replies. “How are you?”

 

“Well, not real happy about my leg, but the doctor said it was a clean break, and there probably aren’t going to be any complications,” Sam replies. “But it puts me out of commission for a couple of months, anyway.”

 

“Maybe things will stay quiet for a while,” Tony suggests, without much hope. They can’t seem to catch a break.

 

“From your mouth to God’s ear,” Sam replies. “Because the team is a little short handed these days.”

 

Tony grimaces. “Yeah, I’m sorry.”

 

Sam claps him on the shoulder. “Don’t apologize, man. Take the time you need. Not all injuries are visible on the outside. I know that better than just about anybody.”

 

Tony nods. “I appreciate it.”

 

Sam gives him a sharp look. “Have you been sleeping? Eating?”

 

“Both, when I can,” Tony admits.

 

“Try to do as much of that as you can,” Sam advises. “Even when it’s tough. And you know there are more people than just Bruce around.”

 

“I do know that.” Tony doesn’t really want to talk about it, so he finds a quiet corner, figuring that if he’s napping, he’ll get a break from questions and concerns.

 

The thing is, he does fall asleep, and he doesn’t wake up until he hears Bruce say, “Hey. Tony. Hey.”

 

Bruce knows better than to touch him while he’s still waking up, and Tony sits up immediately. “Hey.” His mind still feels a little fuzzy, trying to catch up with the rest of him. “When did you get here?”

 

“A little bit ago,” Bruce replies with a fond smile. “I checked on Jen first, since you seemed to be sleeping, but maybe you want to move this to an actual bed?”

 

Tony takes a breath. “Yeah, I’m still pretty tired. Sorry, I meant to be awake when you got here.”

 

“Don’t worry about it,” Bruce insists. “Pepper came with me. She’s going to hang with Jen while we get some shuteye.”

 

Tony rubs his eyes. “Yeah, that sounds good. I’m still pretty tired.”

 

Bruce runs a fond hand over his head. “So am I. We’ll sleep for a bit, then figure out what else we might need to do around here.”

  
Bruce’s words tell Tony that he’s planning on sticking around the compound for a while, which makes him uneasy, but that’s just because he’s not used to having people around. That’s all it is.


	2. Chapter 2

Jennifer is grateful that the Hulk allows her to heal quickly, even if she’s not as invulnerable as she thought. Poor Sam is going to be in a cast for at least the next eight weeks.

 

She finds Bruce in his usual space at the compound after she’s released from the infirmary, a little surprised when Tony isn’t there as well.

 

“Hey, you got sprung,” Bruce says, turning to smile at her. “How are you feeling?”

 

“100% better,” Jennifer replies. “I might not be completely invulnerable, but my healing time isn’t long.”

 

“Good, I’m glad you’re feeling better,” Bruce replies.

 

Jennifer looks around. “Where’s Tony?”

 

“Still sleeping, as far as I know,” Bruce replies. “At least, he was still sleeping when I got up.”

 

Jennifer blinks, a little surprised since it’s a little after noon. “Really?”

 

“He needs it, so I wasn’t going to wake him,” Bruce replies.

 

“No, of course not,” Jennifer says. “It’s just that I’m not sure I’ve ever known Tony to sleep this late.”

 

“When he’s completely exhausted, he will,” Bruce replies lightly. “I try to make sure that doesn’t happen, but I’ve been in Los Angeles.”

 

“How did things go?” Jennifer asks, sensing that Bruce doesn’t want to delve into his relationship with Tony right now.

 

Bruce shrugs. “I’m not anywhere close to having answers, unfortunately. I’ll have to keep working on it.”

 

“Is it time sensitive?” Jennifer asks.

 

“It could be if I don’t find a solution,” Bruce replies. “The problems could easily continue to multiply.”

 

Jennifer pulls up a seat. “How are you?”

 

“Busy, worried, basically the same as always,” Bruce replies. “The more things change, the more things stay the same.”

 

Jennifer hugs him impulsively. “Thanks for coming. You didn’t have to.”

 

Bruce’s hug is long and tight. “Don’t be ridiculous. Of course I had to come.”

 

“You want to have dinner together?” Jennifer asks. “Tony, too, assuming he’s awake.”

 

“Sure,” Bruce replies. “That would be great. Bring Sam if you want.”

 

“We’re not there yet,” Jennifer says.

 

Bruce snorts. “Sure. Bring him anyway.”

 

Jennifer knows that Bruce isn’t wrong, but she doesn’t want to go there. “I’ll see if he’s free.”

 

She leaves him to it and finds Sam, who’s in the war room with Steve, dissecting what went wrong with their mission.

 

“There’s no way they could have known,” Steve objects. “The people who knew are people we trust, that we’ve vetted extensively.”

 

“There was a bomb set in the very room we were told the leaders of Hydra were in,” Sam objects. “Either Hydra was very effective at planting that information, or we have a leak.”

 

Steve glances up at Jennifer. “What do you think, Jen?”

 

Jennifer hesitates. “I don’t know. It could go either way. I mean, a SHIELD agent died to get us that information, but at the same time, maybe that was part of their plan.”

 

“You think the leak is with SHIELD?” Steve asks.

 

Jennifer hesitates. “I don’t want to say that.”

 

“But you think the leak is on our end,” Steve presses.

 

“I don’t know that there is a leak,” Jennifer protests. “I’m just saying, there are a lot of possibilities, and we won’t know what the right answer is unless we approach it in a really systematic way.”

 

Sam nods. “Jen’s right. We need to be careful about this, and we need to avoid making assumptions.”

 

“We’ll control who has information about missions. We’ll be careful about planning,” Steve agrees. “How are Tony and Bruce doing?”

 

“Last I heard, Tony was still sleeping,” Jennifer replies. “But I think they’re doing okay.”

 

She still feels a need to keep Bruce’s confidences, and so she doesn’t say anything more than that.

 

“We’ll be careful,” Sam agrees. “We’ll disseminate information on a need to know basis alone.”

 

Jennifer hates that they’ve come to this, but she agrees. It’s the only way to be sure they don’t have a mole.

 

~~~~~

 

Pepper is back in the New York office two days later when she sees another report cross her desk about yet another anomaly. This time the problem involves a batch of visas for skilled workers to come to the US to train in order to get their Mexico facility up and running. According to immigration, they never received the visa applications, but Pepper has the applications and confirmation of receipt, which is odd.

 

But the wires got crossed somewhere, and she’s left with a situation where they need experienced help and can’t get them into the country to be trained.

 

Pepper can make other arrangements, but it’s going to delay the opening of the facility in Mexico.

 

Maybe. She has an idea, and calls Miriam, who picks up right away. “I need someone who can go to Mexico and get people up to speed as soon as possible. Who do I send?”

 

“Frank Nuñez,” Miriam replies easily. “He’s bilingual, he’s a good teacher, and he’s considered a leader in the community. He’s absolutely the best choice.”

 

“Anybody else?” Pepper asks.

 

“His son just started at the factory, but he’s picking things up quickly, and I think they’d make a good team,” Miriam says. “I’m just not sure that anybody else would have the chops.”

 

“Anything else you can tell me?” Pepper asks.

 

Miriam hesitates. “I figured you knew, but in case you didn’t, there were a few ICE agents sniffing around. Everybody here has documents, but I got the feeling they were looking for problems.”

 

Pepper frowns. “Were they looking for anybody particular, or were they just poking around?”

 

“Just poking around,” Miriam replies. “I’m not saying there isn’t anybody in town without documents, but we don’t employ them.”

 

Pepper takes Miriam at her word, since Miriam knows just about everybody in Navarro by name. She does wonder whether this is targeted, though. It seems a little coincidental that key visas would be denied while ICE is sniffing around Navarro.

 

“I’m going to contact Legal,” Pepper says. “We can at least circulate names of immigration attorneys who would be willing to help those with relatives who might need papers.”

 

“Do you want me to talk to Frank and Pascal?” Miriam asks.

 

“I’ll ask myself,” Pepper replies. “Thank you, Miriam.”

 

“Happy to help,” Miriam replies. “Anything I can do, you know that.”

 

Pepper immediately contacts legal and asks them to get the ball rolling for visas for Frank and Pascal Nuñez, and then she asks her assistant to get Frank on the phone. He sounds a little breathless when he says, “This is Frank.”

 

“Hi, Mr. Nuñez, this is Pepper Potts,” she says. “I need to ask you for a favor.”

 

“Anything,” he says immediately. “Anything I can do.”

 

“We have a new plant opening in Mexico, and there have been some problems getting visas for people to come here to get trained,” Pepper replies. “I’m hoping there will be fewer problems with us sending skilled workers there to train others. Miriam recommended you and your son, Pascal.”

 

There’s a pause. “I’m honored, Ms. Potts. Is there—is there a reason Miriam suggested me?”

 

“You’re a good worker, a great teacher, and you’re bilingual,” Pepper replies. “She also said you’re a leader in the community.”

 

“That’s a real compliment,” Frank says, his tone a little warmer.

 

“I’ll be honest,” Pepper says. “Stark Industries needs this factory to open on time, and to have people properly trained. We’re willing to pay you a consulting fee on top of what you’re already making.”

 

“That—that’s very generous,” Frank replies. “You wouldn’t need to do that, Ms. Potts.”

 

“Of course I do,” Pepper replies. “I’m taking you away from home for a while. We’ll cover housing and give you a per diem while you’re there as well.”

 

“I can’t pass up that offer,” Frank admits. “And I appreciate the opportunity.”

 

“Make this factory a success, and you’ll get another opportunity,” Pepper promises. “And whether it’s successful or not, your job in Navarro will be waiting for you when you return. You and your son’s.”

 

“You have a good reputation, Ms. Potts,” Frank says. “People say you keep your word, and Stark Industries takes care of its people. I’ve found that to be true.”

 

“I hope you continue to do so,” Pepper says.

 

She has a solution now, and when Legal tells her that there’s no problem getting visas, Pepper is glad that at least one of her problems has a relatively easy fix.

 

She doesn’t think the rest of the issues on her plate will be so easily solved.

 

~~~~~

 

Tony hasn’t been to the compound in weeks, or maybe months, but he’s sleeping better there. Bruce is sticking around, the rest of the team is there, and they don’t have any missions for the first couple of weeks.

 

At the same time, he feels a little anxious around the compound, like he’s missing something, but he can’t put his finger on what.

 

He shouldn’t be, since Bruce is there, and Tony starts training with the others again. He should be feeling fine, but his anxiety keeps climbing over the two weeks they’re upstate.

 

Tony is almost relieved when Rhodey shows up two weeks in and invites Tony out for dinner. “If you can get away,” Rhodey adds.

 

“Sure, why not?” Tony says. “Let me check in with Bruce, and I’ll be ready to go. Do you want to drive?”

 

“Happy to,” Rhodey replies easily.

 

Tony pokes his head into Bruce’s lab. “Rhodey is here. You mind if I go to dinner with him?”

 

“Not at all,” Bruce replies easily. “Have fun.”

 

Tony presses a quick kiss to his lips. “See you later.”

 

Rhodey slides behind the wheel of one of the vehicles Tony keeps there. The Audi is a good ride, and Rhodey is a relaxed driver. There’s a nearby town that has a good pub, and that’s where they head.

 

“You seem a little more relaxed than the last time I saw you,” Rhodey comments.

 

“It’s good to be around the rest of the team,” Tony admits. “I didn’t think I wanted to see anybody, but it’s been nice. I’m back in training, and I’m feeling good.”

 

“That’s good,” Rhodey replies. “You were worrying everybody there for a while, Tony.”

 

“I was worried, too,” Tony says. “But I’m fine.”

 

“You say that a lot,” Rhodey replies. “I just don’t want to see you spinning out of control. I know you, man.”

 

“Have you known Bruce to let me spin out since we’ve been together?” Tony counters.

 

Rhodey shrugs. “There’s a first time for everything, and I want to help if I can.”

 

“You can’t,” Tony says shortly, and then checks himself. “But thanks for the offer. I appreciate it.”

 

“I hope you’re leaning on Bruce right now.”

 

“Bruce won’t let me push him away,” Tony replies. “But I’ll take that into consideration.”

 

“I hope you do,” Rhodey replies.

 

Dinner at the pub is quiet. It’s a Tuesday, so it’s not crowded, and they get a table in the corner where they’re unlikely to be seen. Rhodey has been solicitous of late, dropping by when his mission schedule will allow it, his career having survived Ultron.

 

Tony wants to talk about anything but how he’s doing, so he asks Rhodey about his recent missions.

 

“I cleared out a couple of terrorist strongholds in Afghanistan,” Rhodey replies. “It’s probably not as interesting as the Avengers’ missions.”

 

“When are you going to retire and come work with us full time?” Tony asks.

 

Rhodey shrugs. “I don’t know. The Iron Patriot is still needed, and it gives you guys some cover with the military.”

 

Tony frowns. “Is that still necessary?”

 

“The only reason the Avengers have been able to continue to operate independently is because of what you’ve accomplished in taking down Hydra and Ultron,” Rhodey replies. “But there’s always the possibility that they’ll decide it’s too much of a risk.”

 

“It’s a risk to not allow us to do what we do,” Tony points out.

 

“No question, and there’s no one else hunting Hydra like the Avengers are right now,” Rhodey agrees. “But the lack of oversight still worries some.”

 

“I don’t want to fight a war on multiple fronts,” Tony says.

 

“It’s usually a bad strategy,” Rhodey agrees. “I don’t think there’s any risk of them moving against you right now, but if I stay where I am, I can stay dialed in.”

 

Tony nods. “I appreciate you having our backs.”

 

“Always,” Rhodey replies. “You know that.”

 

Tony does know, and he’s grateful that his relationship with Rhodey is on solid ground.

 

The rest of the dinner goes well, and they head back to the compound. “Hang in there, man,” Rhodey says with a hug. “I gotta get going.”

 

“Thanks for dropping by,” Tony replies.

 

He’s heading for his lab when his phone buzzes in his pocket, and Tony sees the incoming video call from an unknown number. Since no one is supposed to have this number, he hesitates before answering.

 

At first, the swirling colors make no sense, and then he feels a cold weight settle over him.

 

And then, Tony feels better than he has in months.

 

~~~~~

 

Bruce glances up and checks the time, a little surprised to find that it’s past midnight, and Tony hasn’t returned yet. He heads to Tony’s workshop, and it’s empty. He tries their bedroom next, and that’s also empty.

 

Bruce doesn’t want to be paranoid, and if Tony is out having a good time with Rhodey, he doesn’t want to interrupt.

 

After an internal debate, Bruce calls Tony. “You having a good time?” Bruce asks.

 

“I decided to head back to the Tower,” Tony replies. “Sorry, I forgot to call.”

 

Bruce blinks. “How did things go with Rhodey?”

 

“Great,” Tony says easily. “Inspiration struck, and all of my stuff is here. You don’t mind, do you?”

 

“No, I just wasn’t sure where you were,” Bruce replies. “Do you want me to come down?”

 

“Stay as long as you want,” Tony says. “I know you’ve been having a good time with Jen.”

 

Bruce frowns, a little unsettled. “Sure, but I thought you were enjoying your time here, too.”

 

“Of course,” Tony replies. “But you know how I get when I have a project.”

 

Bruce does, but there’s still something that’s worrying him. “You sure you’re okay?”

 

“I’m great, Brucie,” Tony says, and he actually sounds chipper, happier than he has in a long time. “Don’t worry about me.”

 

Bruce sighs. “Well, if you’re sure you’re okay, I might stay here a few more days. I need to give this problem with SI my full attention.”

 

“Do what you need to do,” Tony replies. “I’ll see you when you get back.”

 

There’s no reason to worry. Tony has been known to get a wild hair and forget to let Bruce know where he’s going and when, although not so much recently. Tony _has_ been doing better the last couple of weeks, and Bruce does have the project for Pepper that he’s been putting off. He knows it’s going to take a lot of his time, and probably take him away from Tony for a few weeks at least.

 

Bruce decides to swing by the Tower on his way to Los Angeles, just to check in on him, prior to heading back to LA.

 

“Did Tony leave?” Jennifer asks the next morning over cheesy scrambled eggs and toast.

 

“He said he had a project he’s working on,” Bruce replies. “He sounded good.”

 

Jennifer takes a sip of coffee. “But you’re still worried.”

 

“I don’t know,” Bruce admits. “I’m sure he’s fine.”

 

“But?”

 

“I can’t put my finger on it. I’m just uneasy.”

 

“Probably a good thing to listen to your gut,” Jennifer replies. “Sometimes our instincts are right.”

 

“I’m going to have to head to LA, I think,” Bruce says. “I have the project for Pepper, and I think I need to get closer eyes on it.”

 

“Well, I’ll probably be here,” Jennifer replies. “I feel like I need to keep Sam company while he recovers. Hopefully, there won’t be any Hydra related emergencies.”

 

“I hope so, too,” Bruce replies. “We could use a little down time.”

 

Knowing that he’ll be working on Pepper’s project, Bruce focuses on clearing his desk of other work, making sure his research assistants have clear guidance on their projects, and dealing with some of Tony’s projects.

 

After a couple of days, Bruce thinks he’s in a position to head back to Los Angeles, and he says goodbye to Jennifer. “Keep me updated,” she orders.

 

“You, too,” Bruce replies. “Let me know when you have another mission, okay?”

 

“Of course,” Jennifer says after a moment’s hesitation.

 

“I don’t need to know details, Jen, just that you’re safe,” Bruce replies.

 

“That I can do. Say hi to Tony for me.”

 

Bruce tries calling Tony on his way to the city, but there’s no answer, not even from Jarvis. He pushes the speed limit a little more than he would have if he weren’t so worried, and he reaches the Tower around six.

 

His phone rings while he’s in the elevator, heading up to the Penthouse, and Bruce answer, “Banner here.”

 

“Bruce, it’s Matty,” he says. “How are you? Are you back in the city?”

 

“I am, but probably not for long,” Bruce admits. “Pepper needs my help on a project that’s going to take me out to the LA office.”

 

“Will you have time to meet tomorrow morning?” Matty asks. “I can ride with you to the airport if that makes things easier.”

 

“It would,” Bruce says. “Thanks. I’ll send you the flight details. How’s Aaron doing?”

 

Aaron has been working on his college applications and some extracurricular activities, and so hasn’t been spending as much time at the Tower as he had been the previous year.

 

“Good,” Matty replies. “I think he misses working with you guys. He said he’s worried about Tony.”

 

“Tony’s doing better,” Bruce says, hoping that’s true. “And I’m tracking him down now. I’ll see you tomorrow, Matty.”

 

“Sounds good,” Matty replies.

 

Bruce hangs up and drops his bag in their bedroom, a little worried when he doesn’t see Tony. He heads down to Tony’s workshop and finds him working on what looks like the plans for the arc reactor, but there’s no music playing, which is unusual.

 

“Tony? You okay?” Bruce calls.

 

Tony glances up, his expression completely blank.

 

“Tony?” Bruce repeats, feeling a frisson of fear.

 

And then Tony shakes himself, and he grins at Bruce. “Hey, sorry. I was concentrating.”

 

“Clearly,” Bruce replies, fear turning into amusement. “It’s pretty quiet in here.”

 

Tony shrugs. “I wasn’t feeling the music today. Are you just back for tonight?”

 

“Yeah, I have to head out to Los Angeles tomorrow morning,” Bruce replies. “Are you hungry? I can make something.”

 

Tony closes the file he’s working on. “Let’s order in. If we only have this evening together, I want to spend as much time together as we can.”

 

Tony is his old, charming self that night. He calls for Indian food and they eat naan and butter chicken and palak paneer. “Have you been eating?” Bruce asks. “Something other than those green shakes?”

 

Tony grins. “Well, I don’t eat as well as I do when you’re around, but I’ve done okay. How long do you think you’ll be in California?”

 

“Not too long, I hope,” Bruce replies. “You could come with me.”

 

Tony shakes his head. “I’ve got plenty to do around here. Besides, I think Aaron wanted to start working for a few hours a week again.”

 

“And you’re okay with that?” Bruce asks.

 

“With molding the next generation of young scientists?” Tony jokes. “Of course. He said he wanted to bring a friend with him. He sounds like a bright kid, too.”

 

Bruce is relieved to hear Tony sounding so much like his old self, and thinks that maybe they’ve finally turned a corner. “That’s great. I look forward to meeting him when I can.”

 

“But maybe we can talk about something else?” Tony suggests with a wolfish grin.

 

Bruce raises his eyebrows. “What do you have in mind?”

 

“Let me blow you?” Tony asks.

 

“I don’t see how I can refuse that offer,” Bruce replies.

 

Tony pulls him over to the couch, and makes quick work of getting Bruce’s pants off. Tony licks a stripe up his cock, and Bruce hardens so fast he gets a little dizzy. Tony is good with his mouth, and he draws out Bruce’s orgasm until he’s panting and begging for release.

 

Tony deep throats him finally and Bruce comes hard.

 

“Give me a second,” Bruce manages to say.

 

“I just need your hand,” Tony replies.

 

Bruce jacks him off once he’s caught a breath, and they go to bed together that night. As far as Bruce can tell, Tony sleeps the whole night through next to him without a single nightmare. They have a leisurely breakfast together that morning, and then Tony kisses him as Bruce leaves for the airport.

 

“Keep me updated,” Tony says.

 

“You do the same,” Bruce instructs.

 

Dominique is waiting for him with Matty in the garage below the Tower, and Bruce allows her to put his suitcase and garment bag in the trunk. “Thank you, Ms. Green.”

 

“How is Mr. Stark?” she asks. “I haven’t seen him in a while.”

 

“He’s working,” Bruce says. “But he seems to be doing well right now. Matty, good to see you.”

 

“You too,” Matty replies, shaking Bruce’s hand. “Thanks for letting me bend your ear.”

 

“What’s going on?” Bruce asks.

 

“Public perception of the Avengers is really positive right now, and the same with Stark Industries, but we’ve had a raid by ICE in Navarro,” Matty says. “We had our requests for visas to train folks for the plant in Mexico blocked. Thankfully, we had a couple of guys who could go to Mexico instead.”

 

Bruce frowns. “Did ICE find anything?”

 

“No, they wouldn’t,” Matty replies. “We were careful. We knew how much scrutiny Navarro would get, or that we hoped it would get.”

 

Bruce sighs. “Are we being targeted by someone?”

 

“You guys ruffled a lot of feathers in taking down Ultron, and we know that Hydra continues to be a threat,” Matty replies. “So, I don’t know, but I’m giving you a heads up.”

 

“Pepper has me working on a project, and I’ll see if I can get to the bottom of this, too,” Bruce says. “Anything else I should be aware of?”

 

“No, that’s it,” Matty replies. “But I did want to personally thank you for the letter of recommendation you wrote for Aaron. He’s getting a lot of interest from Culver and MIT.”

 

“Does he know what he wants to do?” Bruce asks.

 

Matty laughs. “He wants to build robots for NASA and study the Higgs-Boson. I think he’s mostly enamored of all things science and doesn’t know exactly what he wants to do.”

 

“There’s nothing wrong with that,” Bruce replies. “I got at least two Ph.D.’s just because I was scientifically curious.”

 

“Well, there are far worse role models,” Matty replies. “Thanks, though.”

 

“It was really my pleasure,” Bruce replies.

 

They discuss a few other matters relating to PR for the Avengers in general and Bruce and Tony in particular, and then Bruce gets on the flight to Los Angeles, feeling more hope than he has in a long time.

 

~~~~~

 

Tony knows that he needs to keep the others in the dark. Both Bruce and Jennifer are smart, and they know him well, so they’re his biggest potential adversaries. Tony has to keep them off his scent, at least until he’s finished the mission.

 

His instructions are clear and compliance will be rewarded. He’s to take down Stark Industries from the inside, to wreck the foundations of the company and the Avengers and clear the way for Hydra.

 

He whistles as he works on the plans for the arc reactor, the changes that will cause it to blow Navarro off the map.

 

“J, what’s the over-under on damage?” Tony asks.

 

“I estimate a quarter mile in total,” Jarvis replies.

 

Tony hums. “I think we can do better. Keep it under lock and key, J. Bruce can’t know.”

 

“Of course, sir,” Jarvis replies. “Shall I redirect his calls?”

 

“Probably for the best,” Tony says. “I don’t want to be interrupted. This is a delicate operation.”

 

He has shit to wreck.

 

~~~~~

 

Sam has his leg propped up on a chair in Jennifer’s office. “I just don’t see why I can’t borrow one of Stark’s suits. I could get back out in the field that much sooner.”

 

“I’m pretty sure Tony wouldn’t even allow Bruce to borrow a suit,” Jennifer replies. “And they’re married.”

 

Sam snorts. “Come on. Tony would give Bruce the moon if he asked. Like, he would literally find a way to buy the moon and give it to him.”

 

“Fair,” Jennifer agrees. “I’m pretty sure I saw a picture of them on one of those ‘get you a man’ memes.”

 

“Probably started by their PR guy,” Sam points out. “I just hate that I’m stuck in this cast for another five weeks at least.”

 

“Longer, right?” Jennifer suggests. “I mean, given your usual landings, that leg has to stand up to a lot of stress.”

 

Sam sighs. “True. The doctor was saying she probably wouldn’t clear me for at least ten weeks, and maybe more like twelve.”

 

“You can always help with tactics,” Jennifer suggests. What she’s about to say next gets interrupted by Steve sticking his head into her office.

 

“Hey, we have a situation,” Steve says. “We need you. Sam, I wouldn’t mind you being there to lend your expertise.”

 

She and Sam follow Steve out of the room into the war room, where Natasha and Maria Hill are already seated. Jennifer sees footage playing in a loop on the screen. It looks like a couple of guys dragging someone’s unconscious body between them. His head lolls, and Jennifer hisses out a breath. “Fuck.”

 

The figure is clearly that of Bucky Barnes, Steve’s old friend, and the guy they’ve been looking for. Jennifer still hasn’t found his trigger, or the person who currently holds his leash, but now they have a location on him.

 

Which leaves the Maximoffs as the only people they haven’t located.

 

“We have to go get him,” Steve says flatly.

 

“Yeah, no kidding,” Jennifer replies. “The question is how.”

 

Steve glances at her. “You agree? You’ve been saying that he’s dangerous.”

 

“Because he is,” Jennifer says. “But no one should stay in Hydra’s hands, just in general. And if he’s in our custody, we can keep an eye on him.”

 

Steve sags. “I thought you were going to argue.”

 

“I wouldn’t leave my worst enemy in Hydra’s hands,” Jennifer says hotly. “Come on, Steve.”

 

“I think what Steve means to say is that he’s worried about his friend, and not thinking clearly,” Sam says, his tone dry.

 

Steve winces. “Yeah, that’s what I meant to say. I know you’ve been looking for the Maximoffs, too.”

 

“We know your buddy was being used against his will, and the Maximoffs were apparently willing participants,” Jennifer points out. “We need a different game plan for them—right after we find them.”

 

“Let’s focus on rescuing Barnes right now,” Natasha says. “We can’t discount the chance that this is a trap, built to draw us out.”

 

Steve’s expression turns mulish. “So?”

 

“So, we’re careful,” Natasha replies with more patience than Jennifer feels after Steve’s earlier doubt. “And we keep it to those who need to know.”

 

“Agreed,” Hill says. “Wilson and I can handle overwatch. We’ll keep SHIELD agents out of it to be safe, and go with a small strike team.”

 

“What about Bruce and Tony?” Steve asks.

 

Jennifer hesitates. “I think we should leave them out. Bruce would be the first to admit that he’s a blunt instrument, and while Tony is doing a lot better, I don’t think it’s smart to include him.”

 

“What if we need additional help?” Steve asks.

 

Natasha hesitates, then says, “We know a thief. Last time, we stole tech. This time, we’re stealing a person.”

 

“Lang?” Steve asks, surprised. “He’s not cleared to leave the state, is he?”

 

“But he works for Stark Industries,” Jennifer points out. “He could get special dispensation from his PO.”

 

Steve nods. “Do you want to contact him?”

 

“I don’t know him,” Jennifer objects. “I would think that you or Natasha or even Bruce would be in a better position to ask for his assistance.”

 

Steve doesn’t disagree. “Okay, check with Bruce, see if he’s willing to ask Lang to help. We’ll need to move fast, but I don’t want to risk Hydra finding out that we’re moving.”

 

As many missions that have gone wrong recently, Jennifer is a little worried about anybody other than those who are actually involved with the mission knowing what’s going on. She trusts Bruce, but she’s cautious.

 

“I don’t think we can risk it,” Jennifer says. “There’s too much at stake. We can’t take the risk of anybody finding out about this mission.”

 

“I agree,” Natasha says. “I think we should keep this completely off the books. No one other than the people going need to know. I can approach Lang, if necessary. I was his exit in San Francisco, and I think he’ll trust me. We might need to get Bruce involved to approach his PO, but I’ll talk to him in person.”

 

Steve grimaces, but he nods. “Agreed. If we want to rescue Buck, we can’t risk Hydra getting wind of it.”

 

Jennifer can’t disagree. It’s not that she distrusts anybody on the team, but if they’ve bugged Hydra, maybe Hydra has bugged them.

 

Although, Jennifer is pretty sure that the only useful information they’ve gotten out of the bug is Barnes’ location.

 

“Quiet and cautious is the name of the game,” Hill agrees. “We’ll stick to a small strike team.”

 

Jennifer takes a deep breath, but she agrees. Getting Bucky back would be a huge coup, but this might be their only opportunity; they can’t afford to squander it.

 

~~~~~

 

Bruce dives into work as soon as he gets to Los Angeles, wanting to figure out what’s going on and get back to Tony. He’s no longer as worried as he was before, but the idea of spending time with his husband when Tony is back to his usual self is far more tempting than digging through logs and finding answers to problems.

 

After a few days, though, Bruce grows increasingly frustrated. As near as he can tell, there’s no reason for the glitches, and they should have been caught ahead of time. He’s done a historical review, and nothing like this has happened with SI in the last ten years.

 

Stark Industries is a remarkably well-run company, especially once Jarvis came online. A lot of systems are self-regulating, so an AI like Jarvis is remarkably suited to the job, even more so than a person.

 

He checks on Tony frequently, although Tony only answers his phone about half the time. That’s not unusual for him, though.

 

After an intense few days, Bruce decides that he’s reached the bounds of his expertise, and he needs help. He could ask Tony, but he doesn’t want to risk overloading him.

 

But Stark Industries has a systems manager who’s morally flexible and inclined to help out, so he arranges a flight to San Francisco.

 

Bruce shows up without warning, mostly because he’s paranoid, and if there is a saboteur, Bruce will be better off playing things very close to the vest. Scott is staying at one of the apartments in the building they bought, and Bruce has heard that Scott asked a few of his buddies to stay there, too.

 

According to Scott, they run their own security firm, but Bruce isn’t sure that’s legitimately paying the bills. Still, he’s pragmatic enough to know that having folks like that around might come in handy.

 

Scott opens the door, and his eyes widen. “Oh, hey, Dr. Banner. I seem to be very popular today. I wasn’t expecting you, was I?”

 

“I hope not,” Bruce replies. “I was trying to keep it on the down low.”

 

Scott ushers him inside. “Come on in.”

 

Bruce is a little surprised to see Natasha. “Nat.”

 

“Bruce,” she replies with a little smile. “Fancy meeting you here.”

 

Bruce raises his eyebrows. “Is there something I should know about?”

 

“I was hoping to borrow Mr. Lang’s services,” Natasha replies. “It’s an off-the-books mission, so I’d appreciate it if you didn’t say anything to anybody.”

 

Bruce frowns. “Funny, but I was also hoping to enlist his services.”

 

“Hydra has Barnes,” Natasha says.

 

Bruce sighs. “Yeah, okay, that’s probably a little more serious than corporate espionage, at least in the immediate sense.”

 

“I can do both,” Scott protests. “At least, I’d like to try.”

 

Bruce glances at Natasha. “How long do you need him? I can give Scott coverage with his PO.”

 

“Four days?” Natasha suggests. “We’ll need to finish planning, but I wanted to get Scott’s buy-in before we started.”

 

Bruce nods. “It will probably take a couple of days to get permission from his PO. I can make that work.”

 

Scott looks amused more than anything else. “Do I get a say in this?”

 

“Do you have any objections?” Natasha asks.

 

“Well, not to what Dr. Banner is asking of me, because it’s kind of my job, but I still have a few questions about this mission you’re proposing,” Scott replies. “No offense, I’d love to help, but I have a kid to consider.”

 

Natasha nods. “I understand that, and we wouldn’t ask you if we didn’t need you, but Hydra is a threat. Maybe the threat isn’t directly aimed at your daughter, but Hydra is still a threat to her and our freedom.”

 

“I get it,” Scott says. “I know they had Mr. Stark for a week, and I know they’re bad news.” He turns to look at Bruce. “What do you think?”

 

Somehow, Bruce has become the voice of reason on the team. Still, Bruce doesn’t want to force Scott to risk his life, not when he has a kid to think about.

 

“I trust my team,” Bruce replies. “I trust that they’ll do everything they can to bring you home safe. And if they say they need you, it’s because they do.”

 

Scott nods. “I’m down. And whatever I can do for you, doc, just let me know. I’ll give it my all.”

 

“I appreciate that,” Bruce replies. “How about we meet at the office early tomorrow?”

 

“I can be there by 7,” Scott offers.

 

Bruce nods. “I’ll see you there.”

 

Natasha rises. “Scott, once we have the plans finalized, I’ll let you know. We’ll have two days to train and practice, then the mission. It will be soon.”

 

“I’ll look forward to hearing from you,” Scott replies. “I mean, kinda. Going on another mission for the Avengers makes me a little nervous, to be honest.”

 

Natasha smiles. “Good. Bruce, I’ll walk you out.”

 

Bruce is glad she suggested it, because he wants to talk to her. “See you tomorrow, Scott.”

 

“It would be better if he had more time to train with us, but he said he’s been practicing with the suit,” Natasha says in a low voice as they leave. “His ability to miniaturize will be invaluable for this mission.”

 

“Were you going to tell me about the mission before you coopted my employee?” Bruce asks.

 

“Are you the face of Stark Industries now?” Natasha asks, amused.

 

Bruce shrugs. “The face? No. The fixer? Yes, right now I am,” Bruce replies. “Pepper asked me to help, so I am. I’d like to know what’s going on.”

 

“You heard what’s going on,” Natasha replies. “Hydra has Barnes, and we’re mounting a rescue mission. I’m sure Jennifer has told her that our last few missions haven’t gone completely to plan.”

 

“She said something about it, sure,” Bruce replies. “I’m a little surprised you told me.”

 

“I trust you.”

 

Those three words, coming from Natasha, mean a lot. “I’m not sure what I did to gain your trust.”

 

“I worked for you,” she reminds him. “Out of everybody on the team, I trust that you’ll do what needs to be done. You’ll call Steve out, you’ll hold things together. I wasn’t sure about that before Hydra kidnapped Tony, but I know that now.”

 

Bruce isn’t sure how to take that. “Tony is still my priority.”

 

“And I’m sure that’s true,” Natasha replies. “But it doesn’t mean you won’t put the mission first when need be.”

 

“Tony and I want to save the world, and we want to leave it better than we found it,” Bruce argues. “We always have. Whatever happens, that has to be our primary aim.”

 

“I know,” Natasha replies. “That’s why I trust you. Besides, you’re the one guy I know who would actively avoid violence, in spite of who and what you are.”

 

“Well, I’ve fucked up enough shit to last a lifetime,” Bruce replies. “What else are you worried about?”

 

Natasha shakes her head. “Nothing I can talk about right now. I don’t have the proof.”

 

“You’ll tell me if you do?” Bruce asks.

 

Natasha nods. “Yes. I will.”

 

Bruce grabs dinner by himself that night, and enjoys the opportunity to try out a vegan restaurant that has good reviews, and has a glass of wine. He tries to call Tony after dinner, but has to leave a message. He gets a text message a few minutes later.

 

_Hot on a line of research. Love you._

 

Maybe Tony sent it, maybe Jarvis did, but Bruce decides to give Tony his space. He doesn’t want to come across as overbearing. Tony is alive, and he’s working, and Bruce has a project that isn’t exactly coming together.

 

After a day spent with Scott, trying to get to the root of the problem, Bruce is more frustrated than ever. He can see the saboteur’s tracks, he can see what they’re trying to do, but he can’t tell how they’re getting into the system. There are safeguards in place, but this saboteur passed right through them without raising so much as a red flag.

 

That bothers Bruce immensely, because it means that whoever they are, they have to be working internally. There’s no way it can be the work of an external hacker; it has to be someone inside Stark Industries.

 

And not just anybody—it has to be someone fairly high up in the company, with extraordinary access—and after what happened with Hydra, Bruce can believe it.

 

After all, Howard Stark was one of the founding members of SHIELD, and he’d let Hydra flourish under his nose.

 

“I can’t get a handle on this,” Scott admits in the late afternoon.

 

Bruce has secured permission for Scott to take a trip on behalf of SI, but he’s not leaving until the next day. “I know,” Bruce says sourly. “But it’s someone high up in the company.”

 

“What are you going to do?” Scott asks.

 

“I’m going to get some outside assistance,” Bruce replies. “Once you get back, we’ll hit this full speed. For now, though, is there any way we could set up alerts for any problems?”

 

Scott hesitates. “I don’t know. I can try, but there’s no guarantee they won’t get removed, or bypassed some way.”

 

“That might leave digital footprints, though,” Bruce replies. “Go ahead and set them up. Maybe it will tell us something.”

 

Scott nods. “Okay, I’ll do what I can.”

 

“You nervous about the mission?” Bruce asks.

 

Scott glances at him. “Is it that obvious?”

 

“I wouldn’t say it’s obvious,” Bruce replies. “But you’re not invulnerable, and you’re a smart guy. You’re wise to be cautious.”

 

Scott smiles. “I have to say, Dr. Banner, this job has been a little bit of a miracle. I get to see my kid every weekend, my ex-wife doesn’t look at me like I’m a loser, and her new boyfriend doesn’t look like he wants to slap cuffs on me.”

 

“I’m glad,” Bruce replies. “You’ve done a good job for us. Maybe we had ulterior motives in hiring you, but I have no regrets. You earned your place with SI.”

 

Scott glances away. “I just don’t want to risk not coming home to my kid.”

 

“I’ll tell Jennifer to keep an eye on you,” Bruce replies. “But my team  will take care of you.”

 

“I know,” Scott replies. “You guys were there for me before.”

 

Bruce still feels guilty for pulling Scott into this life, but he also knows that the job with SI offers the kind of competitive salary, benefits, and cachet that most ex-cons don’t get.

 

But in a way, that just makes Bruce feel worse, on top of his worry for Tony. He hopes that Scott gets through this unscathed.

 

“Good luck,” Bruce says as they leave the office that afternoon. “I’m sure you’ll do great.”

 

“You, too, doc,” Scott replies with a crooked grin. “See you when I get back.”

 

Bruce calls Pepper from his hotel room. “I think I’m going to need you to get in touch with Phil,” he says. “I’m having trouble tracking down the problem.”

 

“ _You’re_ having trouble?” Pepper asks, surprised.

 

“Whoever is doing this has high-level access,” Bruce replies.

 

Pepper huffs. “How high?”

 

“The only people I know for sure who could pull this off—the only people who _should_ be able to pull it off—are you, me, Tony, and Jarvis.”

 

“That’s impossible,” Pepper objects. “Bruce, surely there’s another explanation.”

 

“There may be,” Bruce replies. “It hasn’t escaped my attention that Howard Stark helped found SHIELD, and Hydra grew right under his nose. Stane might have assisted Hydra, witting or unwitting. Darren Cross was certainly happy to sell weapons to Hydra, and while Pym is a tool, he’s not an evil Nazi.”

 

Pepper pauses. “You think we might be dealing with a shadow organization within SI?”

 

“It’s possible,” Bruce replies. “The right person sent into SI might manage to backdoor the system, especially if they had enough time. All I know is that I need someone skilled to return the favor.”

 

“And you think Phil can help with that,” Pepper replies.

 

“I know that Skye can,” Bruce counters. “She was a huge help with Ultron, we know she’s not dirty, and she’s shown she can be trusted.”

 

“I’ll call Phil tonight and make the request,” Pepper replies. “I don’t know when I’ll hear back, though.”

 

Bruce sighs. “That’s fine. I’m going to head back to New York for now. I’m worried about Tony.”

 

“I know,” Pepper replies. “He’s been even less communicative than usual. I’ll give you a call as soon as I hear back from Phil.”

 

“Thanks, Pepper,” Bruce replies.

 

Bruce blows out a breath, feeling the worry that crawls along his nerves. He’s worried about SI, about Tony, about potential political fallout and the upcoming Avengers mission. He’s worried that if they rescue Barnes, he’ll be too far gone to save, which will cause problems with the rest of the team.

 

He’s just _worried_.

 

And then he takes a deep breath and lets that go. He’s going to go home and spend some time with his husband, and hope for the best.

 

~~~~~

 

Pepper is surprised when Phil actually picks up his phone; she’s expecting to leave a message, and she can’t quite keep the shock out of her voice when she says, “Oh, Phil!”

 

“You were expecting my voicemail,” Phil says, laughter in his voice.

 

“I was,” she admits readily, a smile pulling at her lips. “How are you?”

 

“I’m okay,” he says. “Better, now that I’ve heard your voice.”

 

Pepper rolls her eyes, although she’s pleased. “How is everything there?”

 

“We’re all doing well,” Phil replies. “I keep meaning to thank Tony for getting himself rescued by Agent 33. Bringing her back into the fold has been very helpful.”

 

“I’m sure he’d be happy to know that there was a silver lining to him being captured,” Pepper replies.

 

“How is he?” Phil asks.

 

Pepper sighs. “Bruce is worried, but it’s Tony. He’s pulled out of worse funks in the past.”

 

Phil hums thoughtfully. “Well, I hope that’s the case this time, too. What can I do for you?”

 

“I could be calling just to talk,” Pepper points out.

 

Phil makes a sound somewhere between a laugh and a sigh. “I would love that to be true, but I think I know better.”

 

“You’re right,” Pepper replies. “Bruce and I think that Stark Industries has a saboteur. I asked Bruce to look into it, but he thinks whoever is responsible might be related to Hydra, and maybe snuck in through a back door.”

 

Phil understands right away. “You want to borrow Skye?”

 

“That was Bruce’s hope,” Pepper replies. “She was very helpful with the whole Ultron thing.”

 

Phil hesitates. “I have her working on another project right now, but I can certainly ask if she’d be up to taking it on, and I have no problem with you requesting her assistance. How bad is this?”

 

“So far, not bad,” Pepper admits. “But the attacks appear very targeted, and show an understanding of SI that’s, frankly, a little alarming. If there’s any kind of escalation, it could be very serious.”

 

“I’ll make that clear to Skye,” Phil promises. “And I’ll have her get in touch with Dr. Banner either way.”

 

“Thank you,” Pepper replies.

 

“I know how important Stark Industries is to the Avengers and to SHIELD,” Phil replies. “I’d like to help in any way we can. And I hope you know you don’t have to wait for an emergency to call me.”

 

Pepper smiles. “I do know. I hope we can get together some time soon.”

 

“Me, too,” Phil replies. “Take care, Pepper.”

 

And Pepper ends the call feeling just a little bit hopeful.

 

~~~~~

 

Jennifer watches as the Quinjet lands. Natasha volunteered to pick Scott Lang up herself to minimize the number of people who know why he’s in New York.

 

Scott cranes his neck, looking around the compound in awe as he steps off the Quinjet. “This place is incredible.”

 

“We like it,” Jennifer replies. “Welcome. I’m Jennifer Walters, Bruce’s cousin.”

 

He shakes her hand enthusiastically. “It’s really nice to meet you. Wow. I’ve seen footage, you know. I’m a big fan.”

 

Jennifer is pretty sure she’s blushing. “Oh. Thanks.”

 

“I’m sorry, am I being weird?” Scott asks.

 

“No, not at all!” Jennifer assures him. “It’s just that I haven’t run into anybody who’s told me that they were a fan before.”

 

“Are you kidding?” Scott asks. “My daughter thinks you’re the best thing since sliced bread! When I told her I was working with a couple of the Avengers, she immediately asked if I knew you and Black Widow, and asked for autographs. I didn’t want to bug you guys, though.”

 

Jennifer grins. “We’ll send you back with a care package for her.”

 

“Seriously?” Scott asks. “That’s really nice of you.”

 

“It’s no problem,” Jennifer replies. “Come on in, and I’ll show you where you’ll be staying. We’re doing a team dinner tonight if you’re interested. I can assure you that I’m not cooking. I think Sam and Steve are making it.”

 

Natasha smirks. “Well, it probably won’t be inedible.”

 

“Come on, Sam isn’t too bad,” Jennifer protests. “He’s cooked for me before. And Steve might not have the broadest palate, but he knows the basics,” Jennifer says loyally. “I mean, he might not be as good as Bruce, but I’m biased.”

 

“I’m sorry to miss out on Dr. Banner’s cooking then,” Scott says. “He’s a really good guy.”

 

“I think so,” Jennifer replies. “I’m glad you like him.”

 

Scott shrugs. “I know he came looking for me, and he’s taken care of me.”

 

Jennifer knows what he means. Bruce has a tendency to think through contingencies and to take care of people. “He’s good like that.”

 

She shows Scott to his room, where he drops his bag, and then gives him a tour of the rest of the facility. “This is incredible,” he says.

 

“It really kind of is,” Jennifer replies. “I mean, I thought I’d miss practicing law a lot more than I do. I want to go back to it someday, but I’m pretty happy doing superhero stuff, too.”

 

“Cassie would get a kick out of this,” he murmurs.

 

“Is that your daughter?”

 

“Oh? Yeah, Cassie.” Scott digs out his phone and pulls up a picture.

 

Jennifer grins. “She’s adorable! Do you want to do a video call with her? If I’m on it, nobody will think it’s weird. I’m on Stark Industries’ payroll.”

 

Scott hesitates. “You won’t mind? I guess it is Saturday.”

 

“Let’s try,” Jennifer replies impulsively.

 

Scott dials a number, and Cassie’s face appears on the screen. “Daddy!”

 

“Hey, pumpkin,” Scott replies, his smile gentle. “I have a friend with me.”

 

He turns the phone, and Jennifer waves. “Hi there!”

 

“She-Hulk!” Cassie crows. “You know her!”

 

“I just met her,” Scott replies. “She wanted to say hi to you, though.”

 

Cassie wriggles in pure joy. “She wanted to say hi to me?”

 

“Sure,” Jennifer replies. “I heard how awesome you were, and I wanted to tell you that you should keep being awesome!”

 

Cassie squeals. “Thank you!”

 

“I have to go now, sweetie, but Jennifer is going to send home some goodies for you, okay?” Scott asks.

 

“Is it dangerous?” Cassie asks, turning serious.

 

Scott hesitates. “Maybe a little, but I’m going to be careful.”

 

“I’m going to look after him, Cassie,” Jennifer replies. “You have my word.”

 

Jennifer feels the responsibility. She knows what she’s promising, and she’s not going to let a kid like Cassie down.

 

Cassie beams at her, then says, “I love you, Daddy.”

 

“Love you, too.” Scott ends the call. “Bruce said you’d look after me. I guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, if you’ll forgive the misuse of that expression.”

 

Jennifer smiles. “That’s pretty much the highest compliment I could receive, so thank you.”

 

She finishes showing Scott around the compound, to the training room and other main areas. Jennifer likes him. He’s cute and smart and is head over heels for his kid.

 

Dinner that night is fairly low key. Apparently, Steve took her lecture on the humble origin of the casserole to heart, because he presents something cheesy with a proud smile. “I like casseroles,” he says. “So, I’ve been experimenting.”

 

Someone introduced Steve to Mexican food, because it’s basically a form of enchiladas, with layers of tortillas, cheese, beans and meat. “My buddy used to make this,” Sam says. “His mom gave him the recipe, and he passed it along to me.”

 

“It’s good for feeding a crowd,” Steve says. “Scott, thanks for joining us. Welcome to the team.”

 

Scott flushes. “Thanks, Cap. It’s good to be here.”

 

“You’ll have a permanent place here when you can accept it,” Steve says. “ _If_ you want to accept it. There’s no pressure.”

 

Clint slides into his seat. “Smells good.”

 

“You’re late,” Steve replies.

 

“I had a thing,” Clint replies. “I told you I had a thing.”

 

Jennifer is well aware that Clint has a wife and kids that he’s moved to a farmhouse about an hour away from the compound. The location is isolated, and there aren’t a lot of people around. She thinks they’re homeschooling the kids, but it’s really none of her business.

 

The only reason she knows that much is because Clint let something slip one day, and she had run across some chatter as she’d reviewed incoming and outgoing communications.

 

She’s pretty sure that Fury and maybe Natasha are the only ones who know about Clint’s family, and he apparently wants to keep it that way. She’s not inclined to violate that unspoken agreement.

 

“Drop it, Steve,” Jennifer advises. “We all knew that Clint was going to be late. He always takes the time to alphabetize his arrows before going into battle.”

 

Everybody laughs, and Clint snorts. “Thank you for that, Jen.”

 

But he means that, and Jennifer shrugs. “Let’s all shut up and eat. We have training first thing tomorrow.”

 

Normally, Bruce acts as the peacemaker, but since he’s not around, Jennifer has no problem taking on the role. Besides, assuming they manage to rescue Barnes, they’re going to have their hands full getting Hydra out of his head.

 

Jennifer enjoys training with the rest of the team. It’s a good opportunity to get to know each other and build camaraderie. Scott being there adds a different element, because it’s new to him, and he’s enthusiastic about everything.

 

He also follows Cap’s orders without question, which is great in the field, but may or may not be good otherwise. Jennifer will have to keep an eye on that.

 

She’s also going to have to keep an eye on Steve’s tactical plans as well. She knows Steve well enough to guess what his plan is going to be, and she is _not_ down with it.

 

They have one more day of training, and Jennifer asks to speak to Steve privately.

 

Natasha smirks at her, probably because she knows exactly what Jennifer is going to say to Steve. Since it’s Natasha, she probably does.

 

“I’m not going to like this, am I?” Steve asks.

 

“You’re going to love it if your head isn’t lodged up your ass,” Jennifer says pleasantly.

 

Steve’s eyes narrow. “I think you’re scarier than Bruce.”

 

Jennifer snorts. “Only when we’re not green.”

 

“What are you going to say?” Steve asks.

 

“Scott has a kid, Steve. Our plans have to take that into account. He has someone to come back to, and we have to honor that.” Jennifer isn’t afraid to get into his face. “I have a plan for that.”

 

Steve looks torn between fear and amusement. “I’m listening.”

 

“You, me, and Scott are going in to rescue your friend,” Jennifer replies. “He’ll know you, at least he’ll know you better than any of the rest of us. But when we get to him, you’re going to be focused on Barnes, not anybody else. Let me focus on your exit, and on keeping Scott safe.”

 

Steve nods. “And the others?”

 

“Clint and Natasha can cover our exit and keep the rest of Hydra off our tails,” Jennifer replies. “Natasha will look after Clint.”

 

Steve gives her a look. “Do you know something I don’t know?”

 

“Clint is going to tell you when he’s ready,” Jennifer replies. “But he has other responsibilities besides the team, and you need to respect that.”

 

Steve blinks, and lets out a breath. “Okay. I can read between the lines.”

 

“Good. So, are we agreed?” Jennifer asks.

 

“We all have family to come home to,” Steve says gently. “You do, too.”

 

“It’s different when you have kids,” Jennifer argues. “You have a responsibility that you don’t otherwise.”

 

Steve nods. “We’ll get everybody home safe, Jen. You and me both.”

 

“Good,” Jennifer replies.

 

“You have the makings of a general,” Steve replies. “Good job with the tactics.”

 

Jennifer is pretty sure she’s blushing. “Thanks.”

 

“No, thank you for calling me out, and doing it in private,” Steve replies. “I’m glad you’re on the team.”

 

Jennifer smiles. “I’m glad to be on the team.”

 

The training the next day goes well, too, and they start incorporating the elements of their strategy to get Scott on the same page. The computer recreates what they know of the layout of the base, and they work on their tactics.

 

They just have to stick to the plan. And Jennifer feels pretty good that it’s her plan.

 

~~~~~

 

Tony glances up, and is a little surprised to see Bruce come through the door. “I didn’t think you were going to be back so soon.”

 

Bruce frowns. “Nice to see you, too?”

 

Tony realizes that he’s going to jeopardize his project if he doesn’t placate Bruce. “Sorry. That was rude. I’m glad you’re home.”

 

Bruce hugs him tightly. “Are you okay?”

 

“I’m fine,” Tony replies, hugging him back, remembering the role he has to fill.

 

Bruce pulls back to give him a long look. “Are you?”

 

“I’m _fine_ ,” he insists. “I’ve just been working.”

 

“Even when you’re working, your beard is usually trimmed,” Bruce observes.

 

Tony scratches his beard. “I’ve been busy.”

 

“I need you to be honest, Tony,” Bruce replies.

 

Tony frowns. “I’m being honest!”

 

Bruce gives him another long look. “Yeah, I know.” He pulls him in close. “It’s good to see you again.”

 

Tony holds him tightly, feigning affection that’s only a distant memory. “I just didn’t expect to see you back.”

 

He needs Bruce not to look into things too deeply, and he’ll play a role to get that done.

 

“I was always going to return,” Bruce says. “Were you worried about that?”

 

“No, of course not,” Tony scoffs.

 

“But?” Bruce asks.

 

Tony shakes his head. “No buts. We’re good. Sorry.”

 

Bruce leans back. “Well, I’m not sure how long I’ll be back for, but I wanted to see you.”

 

“I wanted to see you, too,” Tony replies, and there’s a part of him that means it. He wants to know if Bruce suspects anything.

 

Bruce smiles. “That’s good to hear. You want to go out for dinner, or do you want me to make something?”

 

Tony hesitates. “Do you mind cooking?”

 

“Let me see what you’ve got,” Bruce replies. “And I’ll see what I can do.”

 

Tony knows he has to keep up appearances. Bruce can’t suspect anything.

 

“Any updates on that project for Pepper?” Tony asks.

 

Bruce sighs as he rummages around the fridge. “No, unfortunately. I can see the pieces of the puzzle, but not how it all fits together.”

 

“If you’re taking care of it, I’m not worried,” Tony replies. “I trust you.”

 

Bruce glances over his shoulder. “I appreciate that. I’m sorry I have to leave again so soon. Maybe you should think about spending some time upstate.”

 

Tony frowns. “I’m not interested in staying at the compound.”

 

Bruce takes a breath. “I know you’re doing better, but I hate for you to be alone so much.”

 

“I don’t need a babysitter,” Tony protests. “And I’m fine. I’ll miss you, but I really am doing better. I feel like I’ve turned a corner.”

 

Bruce smiles. “I’m glad to hear that, but you’ll excuse me for worrying just a little.”

 

“It’s your job, I know,” Tony replies with a smirk, and presses a kiss to Bruce’s lips. “Also, since you have to leave again soon, I want you to fuck me tonight.”

 

Distracting Bruce with sex seems like a good idea, and if Bruce fucks him, Tony can let him lead. Besides, Tony wants to get fucked, and Bruce knows just how to get him off.

 

Bruce gives him an odd look, but it passes. “Yeah, of course. Whatever you want.”

 

Tony makes a mental note to work that much harder to hide his tracks. He knows he probably won’t be able to hide forever, but the longer he has to work, the better the chance he’ll pull off the mission.

 

~~~~~

 

Bruce is a little less worried after spending a couple of days with Tony. He seems fully engaged, anyway, if distracted by the project he’s been working on. Or maybe it’s projects plural. Tony seems to have different schematics up every time Bruce catches sight of his work, but that’s typical of Tony.

 

Bruce flies back to Los Angeles a couple of days later and stops by Pepper’s office on his way. “How’s it going?”

 

She glances up with a smile. “Good. I checked in with Phil. He promised his help.”

 

Bruce offers a relieved smile. “That’s great news. Thanks for talking to him.”

 

“I want to get this figured out, too,” Pepper replies. “Whatever you need, Bruce, just let me know.”

 

He gets a phone call from Coulson the next day, when he’s still tracking the problems without any answers.

 

“Skye has been working on it, and she has a report,” Coulson begins. “But I think you should hear it in person. I’d like you to come to us.”

 

“Are you sure she can’t come here?” Bruce asks.

 

“I think it’s for the best if she delivers this report on our site,” Coulson replies. “With what we’ve found, the report should be given in a secure location.”

 

Bruce feels his stomach flip. “Okay. I can arrange transport.”

 

“Don’t bother,” Coulson replies. “I have an agent coming to pick you up. She should be there in an hour or so. What Skye found is pretty serious.”

 

Bruce closes his eyes. “Okay. I’ll see you in a few hours, then.”

 

He doesn’t have his suitcase with him, and he’s a little concerned that he’ll need it, but there’s no time to retrieve it. Bruce will just have to make do with what he does have.

 

The Quinjet lands in the parking lot outside the research facility, and he gets onboard, not recognizing the pilot. “I’m Bobbi Morse, Dr. Banner,” she says. “I met your cousin not too long ago.”

 

“Pleasure to meet you, Agent Morse,” Bruce replies. “Jen mentioned you, and the in-flight entertainment.”

 

“I left Hunter back at the base,” Morse says with a grin. “So you’re stuck with boring old me.”

 

“I haven’t met a boring SHIELD agent yet,” Bruce replies.

 

Morse nods. “Well, it takes a certain kind of person to wind up at SHIELD. How have you been?”

 

“Busy,” Bruce replies. “I’ve been doing a lot of work for Stark Industries recently, which has me traveling.”

 

“I’m sure you’d rather be home,” Morse says. “But Director Coulson really did believe the report would be best delivered in person at somewhere other than Stark Industries.”

 

If it hadn’t been Coulson, and if Bruce hadn’t asked for help, he might have suspected a trap. Instead, he knows the situation is probably worse than that. He can think of a few reasons that Coulson would think it best to deliver this news in person and at a location he controls, and none of them are good.

 

He goes over the situation in his mind, all the things he knows about what’s going on at Stark Industries, and the people who might be responsible for the sabotage.

 

When they arrive at the base, Coulson meets them, shaking Bruce’s hand. “I apologize for the inconvenience.”

 

“I’m going to assume there’s a good reason for me to be here,” Bruce replies.

 

Coulson nods. “I believe so, yes. I’ll let Skye explain the details.”

 

He leads them to a conference room where Skye is waiting with an Asian woman, as well as Leo and Jemma.

 

“Dr. Banner, it’s so good to see you,” Jemma says.

 

“Hey, Bruce,” Leo says, and his speech is a lot clearer than it was before. “How is Tony?”

 

“Hanging in there,” Bruce replies. “How are you guys?”

 

“Good,” Leo replies, and looks like he means it.

 

“We’re good, Dr. Banner,” Jemma replies.

 

“It’s good to see you again, doc,” Skye says. “I’m sorry it has to be under these circumstances.”

 

Bruce takes a deep breath and sits down. “I think you’d better tell me what you found out.”

 

Skye grimaces. “It’s not good news. I remember that you said Jarvis runs a lot of the company.”

 

“That’s right,” Bruce replies. “It’s why I asked for you. You’ve already seen under the hood.”

 

Skye sighs. “No one is hacking the system. All of the problems actually came _from_ the system, and the reason the problems weren’t caught is because the system is actually hiding it.”

 

“You’re saying Jarvis is the problem,” Bruce says with a sinking feeling. “It makes sense. Jarvis was down. Ultron could have subverted him.”

 

Skye winces. “There’s more.”

 

“What else?” Bruce asks.

 

“I asked myself what else they would be hiding in that case, and there were reports from Navarro, errors thrown up by the arc reactor,” Skye replies. “I didn’t understand them, but they seemed serious.”

 

“Let me see,” Bruce demands.

 

He doesn’t have to dig very deeply to realize that there’s only one explanation that makes sense. The arc reactor is nearly impossible to sabotage; Tony built it that way on purpose. No one understands the arc reactor as well as Tony, and maybe Bruce.

 

And Tony is the one who had been captured; he’s the one Hydra attempted to brainwash into compliance. If Jarvis has been subverted, it’s not a stretch to think that Tony might have been as well.

 

Bruce doesn’t have a lot of options, but he knows two things for sure: if the arc reactor blows up, it could take out the entire town. And Tony can’t be allowed to remain free, because he could do a lot of damage in a very short amount of time.

 

The one person Bruce thinks could take Tony in, and maybe take him down, is Rhodey. Rhodey can maybe get close to him without Tony suspecting anything, and assess the situation. Either Hydra found a way to use Tony without him knowing, or Tony knows exactly what he’s doing and is pretending that nothing is wrong.

 

Given what Bruce has seen the last couple of days, he’s betting on the latter.

 

“Is there any way you can get to Tony?” Bruce asks as soon as Rhodey picks up.

 

“I’m in D.C. right now, and I’m going to take a meeting shortly. What’s up?” Rhodey asks.

 

“Hydra got into Tony’s head,” Bruce says flatly. “They’ve been using him. The arc reactor in Navarro has been compromised, and I need to get down there immediately. Someone needs to sit on Tony to make sure he doesn’t do anything else.”

 

“How bad is it?” Rhodes asks.

 

“I won’t know until I see it for myself,” Bruce replies. “But if it blows, it will take out the entire town.”

 

“Shit,” Rhodes says. “Okay, I can get out of this meeting. I’ll head there immediately and coordinate with Maria Hill.”

 

Bruce takes a deep breath. “I’m sorry, but I have to get to Navarro. If the reactor blows—”

 

“Go,” Rhodey replies. “Let me take care of Tony. Do you want to call the others?”

 

“I think they might have a mission, but yeah, I’ll give them a call,” Bruce replies. “Thanks, Jim.”

 

“You know I’m going to be there for you guys,” Rhodey replies. “Let me worry about Tony, and you take care of the problem with the reactor.”

 

Bruce knows he has to trust Rhodes to deal with Tony. The issue with the arc reactor is going to take all of his attention, but he figures he owes Jennifer a phone call, and he can let her inform the rest of the team.

 

When he hangs up, he looks at Coulson. “I can’t ask for help.”

 

“I want to go,” Leo protests. “Director, I know a little bit about the arc reactor. I can help.”

 

Bruce frowns. “Leo, if the reactor blows, I’ll probably survive, but you definitely won’t.”

 

Leo shakes his head. “I don’t care. I can help, I know it.”

 

Coulson glances at Bruce. “I think it has to be Fitz’s choice. Can you use him?”

 

Bruce hates to admit it, but he could use a second pair of hands. “I can.”

 

“Fitz,” Jemma begins, and then subsides. “Good luck.”

 

“I want to go, too,” Skye says. “You might need a hacker.”

 

Bruce doesn’t want to lead these kids into danger, but he probably is going to need them. If Tony knows what he’s doing, if it’s not all subconscious, Bruce isn’t at all convinced that he’ll be able to counter Tony’s efforts, not in time.

 

“Okay,” Bruce says. “We need to get to Navarro as quickly and quietly as possible.”

 

“I’ll fly them down,” Morse says. “We’ll use stealth mode.”

 

Coulson nods. “Go.”

 

“Skye, do you have a spare computer?” Bruce asks.

 

She nods. “I’ll grab it for you and load all the data I have on it.”

 

“Ten minutes, and wheels up,” Morse announces.

 

That gives Bruce enough time to call Jennifer. “Hey, cuz,” Jennifer says after the second ring. “What’s up? Are you still traveling?”

 

“Jen.” The words stick in Bruce’s throat at first. “Hydra’s in Tony’s head.”

 

“What?” she asks. “How do you know? Where are you?”

 

“I’m with Coulson and his people,” Bruce replies. “Skye found some irregularities that she thought she needed to tell me about in person. We think the arc reactor in Navarro might blow. I’m heading down there.”

 

Jennifer takes an audible breath. “Who’s dealing with Tony?”

 

“Rhodes. I called him. He said he thought he could get Maria to help,” Bruce says. “I can’t go.”

 

“I can,” Jennifer says decisively. Bruce hears some commotion in the background, and her voice is a little muffled when she says, “It’s Tony, Steve.”

 

“Jen, if you have a mission—”

 

“We have some time,” Jennifer says. “We weren’t scheduled to leave for six hours. If we’re quick, we can get it done.”

 

“Be careful. I think Jarvis might be involved, too,” Bruce says. “But thank you.”

 

“Don’t worry about me,” Jennifer replies. “Fix the problem in Navarro. Let us take care of Tony.”

 

Bruce takes a deep breath. “I will. Thanks.”

 

“You guys are family, so it goes without saying,” Jennifer replies.

 

Bruce straightens up and puts his game face on. If the data he’s seen is correct, they aren’t going to have time to evacuate the town. They’ll need to get there and get the problem fixed—or there isn’t going to be a town left.

 

~~~~~

 

“We had a plan, Jen,” Steve protests as soon as Jennifer hangs up. They had been ironing out some details of the plan to get Barnes, just the two of them.

 

“Yes, we did. We still do. We are wheels up in eight hours. That’s enough time to get to the city, take Tony into custody, and get on the plane,” Jennifer says patiently.

 

She knows why Steve is balking. They had a concrete plan, and it didn’t involve capturing Iron Man, who’s apparently a supervillain now. Steve is anxious about rescuing his friend, and he doesn’t want to put that in jeopardy.

 

But this is _Tony_. Jennifer isn’t going to take no for an answer.

 

Steve’s jaw works. “I know. I know you’re right. It’s just that the timing sucks.”

 

“So, we do the impossible,” Jennifer replies. “We’ve done it before, and we’ll do it again.”

 

Sometimes, Jennifer knows, her optimistic attitude doesn’t serve her well, but in this case it does. Steve takes a deep breath and meets her eyes. “What do you need from me?”

 

“We can’t let Tony get the drop on us,” Jennifer says. “He’s smart. He’ll see it coming. I’m going to call Rhodes to see what his plan is.”

 

Steve nods. “Okay. Get him on a conference call, and we’ll make a plan.”

 

Jennifer calls Rhodes next. “What do you know?”

 

“I called Maria Hill,” Rhodes replies. “The soonest I can be there is two hours, and Maria is further out.”

 

Jennifer has a sudden thought. “It was Tony.”

 

“What was Tony?” Steve asks.

 

“The sabotage,” Jennifer says. “Clint’s arrow misfiring, the bomb, the additional Hydra agents when there should have only been a dozen or so. Tony knew about all of those missions. He made Clint’s arrows. If Tony knows about the rescue mission for Bucky—”

 

The muscle in Steve’s jaw ticks visibly. “How do we know if he does?”

 

“We don’t, but if we lock him down before the mission, we’ll know that he can’t do more damage than he’s already done,” Jennifer replies.

 

Rhodes clears his throat. “If you go, and Tony looks surprised to see you, Jen, you’ll know that he expected you to be on that mission. That said, maybe you should delay it for a day or two.”

 

Jennifer can see that suggestion doesn’t sit well with Steve, but Hydra had been waiting for them the last time they’d tried to take out a few of the leaders. Anything they can do to keep Hydra off balance makes a lot of tactical sense.

 

Steve takes a deep breath. “Jen and I will go immediately. If he seems surprised to see us, and he knows about the mission, we’ll postpone 48 hours. If we can take him into custody and ascertain he didn’t know about it, we’ll make the original plan work.”

 

“What kind of story are we going to tell him?” Jennifer asks. “Neither of us have been back to the Tower in a couple of months.”

 

“Tell the truth,” Rhodes advises. “Bruce asked you to check up on him, and Steve came along for company since Wilson is laid up with a broken leg.”

 

The story has the benefit of simplicity, and it’s not beyond the realm of possibility. Bruce is known for his worrywart tendencies.

 

“I kept my apartment,” Steve says suddenly. “There are a few things I’ve been meaning to pick up.”

 

Jennifer nods. “Perfect. That’s our story, and we’ll stick to it. Colonel Rhodes, we’ll still need you and Maria Hill to secure the Tower. I’m not sure how we shut Jarvis down until we’re sure he’s not corrupted as well.”

 

“You can use an EMP,” Hill replies. “Fury was paranoid. He has contingency plans for this, and I kept one at the compound just in case.”

 

“Why am I not surprised?” Steve mutters.

 

Jennifer grins, but she says, “It doesn’t matter right now. Right now, we need to get down there.”

 

Steve gives a resolute nod. “We can take the Quinjet. It’ll be maybe 30 to 40 minutes.”

 

Rhodes rubs his eyes. “Okay. You guys do that. Hill and I will be there as soon as we can to secure the Tower.”

 

“We need one of Clint’s tranqs,” Jennifer says.

 

“You get that, I’ll get the Quinjet fired up,” Steve replies.

 

Jennifer happens to know that Clint is with his family, spending as much time with them as he can before the next mission, and she also happens to know where he keeps his tranqs. She snags one and leaves a note to tell Clint that she was the one who took it.

 

There’s no way she’s going to try using one of the arrows, but if she can get close enough, she can just inject it.

 

Jennifer has a sudden burst of inspiration and checks to see if the hair tie she normally keeps around her wrist will hold the syringe, and she pulls on a light jacket over the top, which hides it nicely.

 

“Clearly, I need a wrist sheath a la Buffy,” Jennifer mutters. “And when Tony is back to normal, I am totally going to have him build me one.”

 

“You should,” Natasha says from behind her. “Are you sure you don’t want me to go with you?”

 

“No,” Jennifer says bluntly. “If you do, Tony will be on the defensive. He’s not going to believe that you’re there to check up on him, or that you’d casually tag along. And we don’t have time to sneak you in.”

 

“What’s your plan?” Natasha asks.

 

Jennifer hesitates. “Honestly? I’m strongly considering faking a fight with Sam and asking Tony for a hug, then stabbing him in the neck with the tranq.”

 

“If he’s an active agent, that might work,” Natasha replies. “He will feel the need to keep up pretenses. Use that. If it’s subconscious, he’ll respond normally. If that’s the case, you can still stab him in the neck with the tranq.”

 

Jennifer laughs. “Yeah. True enough. Any other suggestions?”

 

“If you can cry on command, do that,” Natasha replies. “Most men will be inclined to comfort you without stopping to question whether the tears are honest.”

 

“That’s remarkably cynical of you,” Jennifer comments.

 

Natasha shrugs. “I’m a spy. I’m used to using others’ feelings against them. Tony is the enemy right now, whether he knows it or not.”

 

Jennifer nods. “It’s hard.”

 

“I know,” Natasha replies. “I’m fond of him, too.”

 

“Thanks for the advice,” Jennifer says. “I’m going to take it.”

 

“Good luck.”

 

Jennifer sighs. “I think we’re going to need it.”

 

Steve has the Quinjet fired up and ready to go, and Jennifer takes the co-pilot seat since no one else is flying with them. They’re both mostly quiet on the flight out, caught up in their own thoughts.

 

“How are we doing this?” Steve asks when they’re nearly there. “I mean, I have an EMP for Jarvis, but how are you going to approach Tony?”

 

“I’m going to tell him that I had a fight with Sam and force him to hug me, and then I’m going to stab him with the tranq,” Jennifer says matter-of-factly. “You can hit him with the shield if you have to.”

 

Steve nods tightly. “That should work. I hate this.”

 

“Me, too,” Jennifer replies quietly. “But we have to take care of Tony, and we need to be there for Bruce. He’s dealing with it right now, but this is going to be hard on him.”

 

“I know,” Steve says. “We will be. We’ll take care of him. We’ll take care of both of them.”

 

They don’t land at the Tower, even though that’s out of the ordinary and might put Tony’s back up. Instead, they land at a nearby park in stealth mode and walk to the Tower. Everything seems normal, and then Jennifer spots Aaron and a younger boy crossing the lobby, heading for the elevator.

 

“Aaron!” Jennifer calls.

 

He turns, and a smile lights up his face. “Hey, Jen! I haven’t seen you in ages.”

 

She gives him a hug. “What are you doing here? I thought you were working on college applications.”

 

Aaron shrugs. “Tony asked for a favor, and he said it was okay to bring a friend. This is Peter, I thought he could take my place when I leave for college.”

 

Peter appears to be nearly levitating from either nerves or delight, Jennifer can’t tell. “You’re, you’re—”

 

“Jennifer,” she says firmly. “And this is Steve.”

 

“Pleased to meet you,” Peter says faintly, shaking their hands. Clearly, someone instilled some good manners into him.

 

Jennifer turns her winning smile on Aaron. “Do you mind if we make the delivery? Steve and I need to talk to Tony about some fairly serious issues.”

 

Aaron nods, but Peter’s face falls, and Jennifer feels terrible about that. Still, if Tony has been activated as a Hydra agent, they can’t risk giving him hostages.

 

“But maybe once we get everything straightened out, you guys could come up to the compound for the weekend?” Jennifer suggests. “If Peter’s parents agree.”

 

“My aunt,” Peter blurts out. “I live with my aunt.”

 

“Your aunt, then,” Jennifer says easily. “I’m sure I could talk to her, or Tony could.”

 

Aaron nods. “Well, he wanted a sandwich from the deli down the street. He said he had a project he couldn’t leave, and that I could bring Peter by. So, if you want to take it to him, by all means.”

 

“Thanks, Aaron,” Jennifer replies, bussing him on the cheek just to see him blush, and she smiles brightly at Peter. “I’ll let you guys know about a good weekend. We’ll make sure to arrange transportation. Maybe on the Quinjet?”

 

She thought Peter’s eyes were about to fall out of his head. “Really?”

 

“Sure,” Steve chimes in. “Aaron’s been a big help, and I’m sure you will be, too.”

 

“Thanks,” Peter says.

 

Jennifer smiles and takes the sack. “Thanks, guys, I really appreciate your understanding.”

 

Aaron gives her a look that says he knows more is going on, but is willing to let it go; Peter blushes. “Good luck,” Aaron replies. “Come on, Peter, let’s get some food.”

 

Jennifer hands the sack to Steve as they head for the elevator. “You don’t know when Tony’s going to be up for company again,” he says.

 

“I don’t, but I had to tell them something, and you _saw_ Peter!” Jennifer protests. “He’s adorable. Like a puppy. I had to give him something.”

 

“And if things don’t go well?” Steve asks.

 

Jennifer sighs. “Maybe Bruce can ply his magic. I don’t know.”

 

They ride the elevator up, and they don’t speak. Jennifer can feel the tension mount, and she tries to swallow it down. They can’t afford to tip Tony off.

 

The doors open, and Jennifer sees Tony by the bar, pouring a drink. “Did you bring my sandwich, kid?”

 

“I brought it,” Jennifer replies. “Although I don’t think I’m the kid you were looking for.”

 

Tony turns, frowning at her. “Where’s Aaron and that other one?”

 

“Peter?” Jennifer asks. “We ran into them in the lobby, and I asked if they would mind taking a rain check.”

 

Tony has his head cocked, his expression not quite right. There’s no concern on his face, and there should have been, and Jennifer turns the tension and the fear into tears.

 

She’s never been someone who could cry at the drop of a hat, but she’s worried as hell, and the tears come without her being conscious of it.

 

Tony’s expression takes a hair too long to change, and Jennifer knows that he’s conscious of what he’s doing. “Hey, are you okay?” Tony asks, moving forward.

 

“Sam and I had a fight,” Jennifer says. “I don’t—I don’t know what to do, Tony.  I think we have to break up, but I don’t know what it’s going to do to the team.”

 

He closes the distance and pulls her into a hug. “It’s going to be okay.”

 

“I really hope you’re right,” Jennifer says, and stabs him in the neck with the tranq.

 

Tony has enough time to say, “Wha—” and then he falls. Jennifer catches him and Steve sets off the EMP. The Penthouse goes dark—or it would if not for the late afternoon sunlight coming through the windows.

 

Jennifer wipes her eyes and summons up what remains of her sense of humor. “You do realize that this means we’ll have to carry him down all those flights of stairs, right?”

 

Steve snorts. “No, I’m going to leave you to guard him, and I’m going to get the Quinjet.”

 

Jennifer laughs. “Good plan. I guess that’s why you’re the captain.”

 

“It’s not just my pretty face,” Steve replies.

 

~~~~~

 

Pepper frowns when she sees the tightness around Bruce’s eyes and mouth, but she’s doubly unhappy when he gives her the news.

 

“We’re nearly there now,” Bruce says. “Probably 30 minutes out.”

 

“Do we have time to evacuate?” Pepper asks.

 

Bruce rubs his eyes. “To be frank, no. It would be total chaos, and might cause more trouble in the long run. I think I can get it sorted out. We’ll lose some productivity with the plant, and we might have to shut off electricity.”

 

“Do whatever you have to do,” Pepper replies. “I trust you to make the right call. Who are you taking with you?”

 

“Fitz, Skye, and Agent Morse,” Bruce replies. “They volunteered.”

 

“Don’t feel guilty,” Pepper orders him. “The mission is bigger than your guilt, Bruce. I don’t need to tell you what the fallout would be if the arc reactor fails or explodes.”

 

“You don’t,” Bruce replies. “Jennifer and Steve are taking care of Tony. If you get a report of the Tower going dark, it’s probably them.”

 

Pepper nods. “Be careful, and let me know when it’s over.”

 

“Of course,” Bruce replies.

 

Pepper calls Phil next, and is grateful when he picks up. “Are you okay?” Phil asks immediately.

 

“I’m worried,” Pepper admits. “The potential loss of life—”

 

“I believe we should keep this quiet,” Phil says. “As much as possible. If people knew that Tony had been subverted, or what he managed to get away with, it could cause a panic.”

 

Pepper nods. “I agree. I can figure out something to tell people if we can keep Tony on ice.”

 

“I’ll make sure of it,” Phil promises. “I’ll speak with Captain Rogers, and we’ll come up with a plan. What else do you need from me?”

 

“Just that,” Pepper replies. “Thank you.”

 

“I’ll stop through soon,” Phil promises.

 

Pepper dredges up a smile. “It will be good to see you.”

 

“It will be good to see you, too,” Phil replies. “I’ve missed you.”

 

Pepper isn’t sure she cares about their past, about how much she still fears for their uncertain future. She just wants someone to lean on right now, someone to tell her that everything is going to be okay.

 

She can’t lean on Bruce; she has to be strong for him, even as she feels herself crumbling.

 

“I’ve missed you,” Pepper admits. “I’ll see you soon.”

 

She hopes she can get enough strength from Phil to lend it to Bruce.

 

~~~~~

 

Agent Morse lands the Quinjet in the parking lot of the plant, and Bruce makes sure he’s the first off. He sees a security guard jogging up, and although Bruce doesn’t recognize him, he seems to recognize Bruce.

 

“Dr. Banner! Is everything okay?” the man asks.

 

His nametag reads “Suarez,” and Bruce replies, “I need to speak to the plant manager immediately, Mr. Suarez.”

 

“You can call me Jimmy, Dr. Banner,” he replies. “Follow me, and I’ll escort you to his office.”

 

He calls over his radio for a location on the plant manager and is informed that she’s currently in her office.

 

Agent Morse remains with the Quinjet, but Skye and Fitz follow him inside, bringing their equipment.

 

The plant manager, Marguerite Phillips, greets them when they enter her office. “What can I do for you, Dr. Banner?”

 

“I need to speak with you privately, and I need access to the arc reactors,” Bruce says without preamble. “And I need it yesterday.”

 

“Walk with me,” Phillips replies.

 

They head for the arc reactor, and Phillips says, “Is there something I should know?”

 

“We have a potential problem, but nothing I can talk about right now,” Bruce replies. “We’re going to get it under control, but we need to shut down the plant for the next few hours.”

 

Phillips seems to understand. “I can call it a mandatory shut down for maintenance purposes. Most people seem to think that the arc reactor is magic, so they probably won’t be suspicious.”

 

Bruce nods. “Thank you. Let everyone know that they’ll be paid through the end of their shift while we get things sorted out.”

 

Phillips smiles. “I’m sure they’ll appreciate that Dr. Banner. Should I keep them around, or send them home?”

 

“Send them home early,” Bruce instructs. “Let the next shift know that we’re going to be doing additional maintenance as well. We’ll pay everybody for the down time.”

 

She nods. “I’ll let everybody know. Is there anybody you would like to stay?”

 

“You,” Bruce replies. “But no one else.

 

Phillips nods. “I’ll make the announcements.”

 

The two arc reactors are side by side, although one is powering the factory while the other powers the town, but that doesn’t matter. Both are a problem at the moment.

 

“I’ll get plugged in,” Skye says.

 

Fitz nods. “I’m ready.”

 

“Let’s get started,” Bruce says.

 

Skye is an excellent hacker, and Fitz knows enough about the arc reactor to assist. Bruce directs Skye to interrupt service between the arc reactors and the plant and town. From there, he and Fitz get to work.

 

Bruce knows the arc reactor well enough to know where the problems are, and they hit those hard. He’s worked with Fitz enough to develop a familiarity and a shorthand, which comes in handy as they race to get ahead of the problem.

 

“Do you see—” Bruce begins.

 

“Got it,” Leo says confidently, his fingers flying. His dexterity has improved tremendously since his near-death experience, and Bruce sees that he really does have it.

 

Bruce works on the next line of code that’s causing problems, and then glances over at Skye, who’s working on keeping them free of interference. “How are we doing?”

 

“I’m hoping the current lack of attacks means that the Avengers have got things buttoned down,” Skye says, sounding distracted. “We’re good for now.”

 

That’s a small mercy, and Bruce tries to focus on his own work since Fitz and Skye seem to have theirs well in hand.

 

The errors that could have resulted in an explosion are small, easy to miss, and require that each one be corrected individually. But each one they get through means they’re that much closer to averting catastrophe.

 

It’s after midnight when they finish, which means they had to cancel third shift as well, and they’re paying those folks for the shift they’re not working. Bruce feels like it’s a small price to pay for saving the town and preventing a disaster, though.

 

Fitz sits back and stretches, blowing out a breath. “That was intense.”

 

“No kidding,” Skye says, running a hand through her hair. “Are we okay?”

 

“We’re okay,” Bruce replies. “At least, we’ve averted disaster.”

 

“Now what?” Fitz asks.

 

Bruce sighs. “Now, you guys go back to base. I’m going to talk to the plant manager, and I’ll figure out where I’m staying tonight.”

 

“No way,” Fitz immediately protests. “We can sleep on the Quinjet if it comes to that, but we’re not leaving you.”

 

Skye nods. “Agreed.”

 

“Guys,” Bruce begins.

 

“We’re not leaving you alone,” Fitz insists. “You didn’t leave me alone, and I’m not leaving you alone either.”

 

Bruce feels the lump in his throat, and the emotion he’s been shunting aside threatens to overwhelm him.  Having Fitz’s loyalty means so much.

 

Fitz pats him on the shoulder. “It’s going to be okay. You fixed him before, and you’ll do it again.”

 

Bruce takes a deep breath. “Thank you.”

 

“I won’t forget what you did for me,” Fitz says. “Whatever you need, Dr. Banner.”

 

Bruce wants to take him up on that, and he might yet. The damage that Tony could do as a tool of Hydra is significant. There’s a real question as to whether they can actually keep him contained.

 

“Okay,” Bruce says, pulling back. “Let me talk to the plant manager and see if I can leave tonight. If not, we’ll figure something out other than sleeping on the Quinjet.”

 

Phillips is waiting for them, and her eyes are tired and hopeful. “Is everything okay?

 

“We’re good to begin with first shift tomorrow,” Bruce assures her. “Do you want me to stay and address any issues?”

 

Phillips hesitates. “That would probably do more harm than good. Right now, I’m selling the story of regular maintenance.”

 

Bruce breathes out a sigh of relief. “Okay. Let me know if you need any backup.”

 

“I’ve got it, Dr. Banner,” she replies. “I appreciate your assistance today.”

 

Bruce isn’t sure if she knows how bad things could have been, but he also doesn’t want to alarm her. “It’s my pleasure.”

 

He’s exhausted when they get back to the Quinjet, and Fitz says, “You should get some sleep. We’ll give you the bench.”

 

“You don’t have to,” Bruce protests.

 

“No offense, doc, but you’re older, and you’re also the Hulk,” Skye replies with a cheeky grin. “You need your beauty rest.”

 

Bruce snorts. “Thanks.”

 

“Hey, you smiled,” Skye replies. “Mission accomplished.”

 

“We good to go?” Morse asks.

 

“We’re good,” Skye replies, making her way to the copilot seat.

 

He actually does fall asleep on the way back to the SHIELD base, and he doesn’t wake up until they arrive. Bruce wakes up to several messages from Pepper and Jennifer, though.

 

Pepper: _I need an update._

 

Jennifer: _We have Tony. I knocked him out with a tranq. I think he’s fully Hydra._

 

Pepper: _Marguerite said you were still working. I’m assuming that’s why you didn’t respond._

 

Jennifer: _We’re back at the base. We’re going to keep him under control._

 

Pepper: _Marguerite said things were good. Bruce, please respond. I know you’re probably exhausted, but I need to know you’re okay._

 

Bruce rubs the sleep out of his eyes, and he types out a response. _Back at the base. Gonna get some sleep, then head to the compound._

 

Pepper responds immediately, which makes Bruce think she hasn’t gone to bed, in spite of the hour. _Do you need me to send the jet?_

 

_Not sure. I’ll let you know._

 

Melinda May is the one to greet them. “Coulson went to join Ms. Potts. I have a bunk for you, Dr. Banner. Do you need anything else?”

 

What Bruce needs is to see Tony, and get him back to normal, but that’s not happening right now. “No, just a bed will do.”

 

He wants to sleep, and wake up, and find out that it’s just a dream.

 

~~~~~

 

They get Tony back to the compound without incident, although that might be because Jennifer gave him enough tranq to knock out a Hulk. Well, maybe not quite, but she went with the highest dosage deemed safe.

 

Steve slings Tony over his shoulder once they land, and they take Tony to one of the secure rooms built to hold an out-of-control Hulk or an enhanced person. Whether it will hold Tony remains to be seen.

 

Steve puts him down on the bench, and they secure the door. Sam joins them, leaning on crutches. “Well, this is some shit.”

 

“It is,” Steve replies grimly.

 

Now that the mission is done, Jennifer wants to collapse. She wants to go to her quarters and cry, but they don’t have time. She and Steve captured Tony in good time, so they still have a couple of hours before they’re due to leave to retrieve Bucky.

 

“How long before he wakes up, do you think?” Sam asks.

 

Jennifer shrugs. “I gave him a pretty heavy dose. It could be another eight hours, or it could be more like twelve. And then again, it could be four. We’ve never used this tranq on someone who’s not a Hulk.”

 

Sam nods. “Any idea when the doc will be back?”

 

“It will depend on when he finishes up in Navarro,” Jennifer replies. “But I imagine he’ll be here as soon as he can be.”

 

Sam nods. “Maria and I will hold down the fort. We’ve isolated this area of the compound. It’s completely offline.”

 

Jennifer knows the building had been designed with that in mind, since they hadn’t known who might be held here.

 

No one expected Tony Stark to be occupying one of these rooms, though, Jennifer is pretty sure.

 

“We have a couple of hours,” Steve says. “Grab some food, some sleep, whatever you need. I’ll see you later.”

 

Jennifer doesn’t want to sleep, and she’s not hungry, but when Sam holds out an arm, she walks right up to him. It’s awkward, hugging Sam while he’s on crutches, but he holds her as tightly as he can, and Jennifer provides balance.

 

“It’s going to be okay,” he promises. “Good job, by the way. How did you do it?”

 

Jennifer lets out half a sob before she quickly cuts it off. “I pretended we had a fight, and I cried. Natasha suggested it.”

 

“Obviously, it worked,” Sam replies. “Do I need to be worried?”

 

“Well, I told Tony we had a fight, and he just—he wasn’t the same. I could tell he didn’t care, and Tony might be able to pretend he doesn’t care, but if you know him, he totally does,” Jennifer says. “And he had to pretend he did, so that’s how I got him, but it sucked.”

 

“Yeah, it sucks,” Sam agrees. “What do you need from me?”

 

“Right now, just this,” Jennifer replies. “I have to pull it together for this mission. Steve is counting on me.”

 

Sam rocks her a bit. “I know, but that doesn’t mean you can’t fall apart a bit right now. It’s just us, girl.”

 

So, she clutches at him a bit, and tries to bring her breathing under control. “Sam…”

 

“Everything is going to be okay,” he promises again. “I know it doesn’t feel that way right now, but you’re going to recover Barnes, and we’re going to fix Tony. That’s all there is to it. We don’t have any other choice, and we’ve done it before.”

 

“Right,” Jennifer replies. “We will.”

 

“Like I tell my clients, if you visualize it, it’s that much more likely to happen,” Sam says. “You keep yourself positive, and the others will stay positive. You visualize that successful mission and getting Tony back, and you give that to Steve and Bruce. And when you need to fall apart, you come to me, and I’ll hold you together.”

 

“It’s a deal,” Jennifer replies.

 

When she pulls back, Sam gives her a long look. “You’re a key part of this team, Jen. If you don’t know that already, you should realize that now. You have the ability to keep others on track, but that only works if you’ve got a support. And I want to be that for you.”

 

Jennifer knows what Sam is offering, and in spite of her reservations, she wants to take him up on it because he’s sweet and smart and gives great hugs. She likes him a lot, and she trusts him, and god, she wants to lean on him.

 

“Thanks,” Jennifer mutters against his shoulder.

 

“Do you want to sit for a bit?” Sam asks.

 

“I should get some things together,” Jennifer replies.

 

“You have some time,” Sam replies.

 

Jennifer leans on him as long as she can, and then she pulls back. “I have to go.”

 

“Be careful,” he replies with a kiss. “I don’t like it when you’re hurt.”

 

“Same here,” Jennifer says.

 

She has enough time to grab a quick shower, throw on her uniform, and then she grabs her go-bag. She’s been around the Avengers long enough to know to keep a bag ready for missions at all times.

 

Clint is already in the pilot’s seat, with Natasha in the co-pilot’s position. Steve and Scott follow her on to the Quinjet, and then they’re off.

 

“How are we doing?” Maria Hill asks over coms.

 

“We’re taking off now, ma’am,” Clint replies. “ETA, 6.3 hours.”

 

“Keep in touch,” Hill orders. “I have a team nearby if you need support.”

 

Jennifer stretches out on the bench and closes her eyes, not expecting to sleep, but she surprises herself by dozing off, waking only when Steve shakes her shoulder. “We’re thirty minutes out,” Steve says. “I have an energy drink.”

 

Jennifer is no stranger to energy drinks, but she hates them. “Ugh. Yes. I could use it.”

 

Steve’s energy drink is SHIELD issued, though, and it’s basically a water-based stimulant. She takes the shot and feels the immediate jolt, and Jennifer pulls her hair back into a ponytail.

 

Steve pulls his cowl up, and Natasha is checking her weapons. Once she’s set, and they’re about fifteen minutes out, she takes over the controls to allow Clint to get his quiver set up. Clint methodically checks the shafts and arrowheads, and Jennifer takes a deep breath, centering herself.

 

She tries to put Tony’s situation out of her mind, to focus on getting Barnes back. Steve deserves her full attention, as does Barnes. No one deserves being used the way he had been by Hydra.

 

They land in a clearing near the base in Romania, and Scott fidgets nervously. “Are you ready for this?” Jennifer asks him.

 

Scott nods. “I think so.”

 

“You understand the job?” Steve asks.

 

Scott puts his helmet on. “I’ve got it.”

 

“We’ve gone over it multiple times,” Natasha assures Steve. “He’s prepared.”

 

“All right, everybody stay sharp,” Steve says. “We can’t discount the possibility that it’s a trap.”

 

Jennifer checks to be sure that she has a tranq, just in case Barnes has been triggered and won’t come quietly. She hasn’t said anything about it to Steve, but she’s not going to take any chances.

 

Clint and Natasha are the first to leave the Quinjet to take up positions in order to cover their entrance and exit. Next up, Scott, who’s going to break in and let Steve and Jennifer enter.

 

The Hydra base is a Communist-era research facility, a low, squat building made of gray cinderblocks. No guards are visible outside the facility, so Scott’s job is to get inside, fool the security cameras, and let them in.

 

“Here goes,” Scott announces, and promptly shrinks.

 

Jennifer doesn’t think she’ll ever get used to that, and then she sees Scott fly off on the back of an ant.

 

“You see something new every day,” Steve mutters.

 

“Indeed you do,” Jennifer replies.

 

“Okay, guys, this looks like a pretty easy set up,” Scott announces. “No problem to get through the door.”

 

“Be careful,” Steve orders. “It might still be a trap.”

 

“Okay, I’m through, and I’ve bypassed the security cameras,” Scott announces. “Come on in.”

 

Jennifer follows Steve as they enter the building, letting the door close behind them. Scott returns to full size. “I think we should find a control center.”

 

“Agreed,” Steve says. “We have a general idea of where that is.”

 

They know what the layout is generally, because the blueprints seldom change, and SHIELD has a history of infiltrating these institutions.

 

Steve leads the way, with Jennifer at the rear, protecting Scott in the middle as Jennifer promised to do. The control center is in the center of the building, at the end of the hallway, and there’s a guard outside that Steve takes out with a well-placed blow. There’s another guard inside that Jennifer knocks out. She’s not even green, but she’s had enough training that it’s not hard to do.

 

“Okay, let’s see what we have,” Scott says, wide-eyed but focused on the problem at hand.

 

He toggles through the security footage, and it doesn’t take long to locate Barnes. He’s pacing a room with his arms tightly crossed over his chest, dressed only in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt.

 

“Good job,” Steve says. “Let’s get going. Scott, go small for the door lock.”

 

Scott nods. “Got it.”

 

He goes small, and they jog down the hall towards the room where Barnes is being held. There are four guards on their way. Scott knocks one out without being seen, and Steve takes out a pair of guards with the shield as they jog down the hall. Jennifer takes out the fourth as he comes out a side hall.

 

Scott gets the door open without any trouble, and Jennifer hears Barnes say, “Holy shit,” when Scott goes back to normal size.

 

Jennifer exchanges a grin with Scott as Steve strides into the room, looking stalwart and ready to do battle.

 

“Steve?” Barnes asks. There’s a note of plaintive hope in his voice that Jennifer finds quite touching. “How did you find me?”

 

“We’ve been tracking Hydra, and we found you,” Steve replies. “I haven’t stopped looking for you, Buck. I never stopped looking.”

 

“You think we can get out of here?” Bucky asks.

 

“You bet,” Steve says. “This is Scott and Jennifer.”

 

Barnes looks drawn and a little haggard, but he’s moving under his own power. “I’ll cover the rear,” Jennifer offers.

 

Steve nods. “Scott, shadow Buck. I’ll lead the way.”

 

That keeps Scott protected, and Jennifer keeps waiting for the other shoe to drop, but they make it out without any trouble, although there are a couple of bodies outside their exit, arrows sprouting from their chests.

 

“On our way back to the Quinjet,” Steve says. “Any trouble out here?”

 

“Nothing we couldn’t handle,” Clint replies. “The jet will be fired up and ready when you get here.”

 

They make it to the Quinjet without incident, and then they’re up in the air. Scott is back to his regular size, and he glances around. “That was easy, right?”

 

“That was too easy,” Clint says flatly. “That was a set up.”

 

Jennifer shifts uncomfortably. “Do you think Tony set this up? I mean, it’s a good distraction.”

 

But she can’t help but glance at Barnes as she says it, because there’s another option, the one where Barnes is a ticking time bomb.

 

~~~~~

 

He’s awoken by the sound of a phone ringing, and Bruce fumbles for the cell phone. “Yeah.”

 

“Bruce, it’s me,” Pepper says. “Phil tells me that you might need a ride.”

 

Bruce rubs his eyes. “Yeah. Yeah, I have to get back to see Tony. Pep, I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

 

“Yes, you do,” Pepper insists. “You’re going to fix this. You might not know how yet, but you’re going to fix him.”

 

Bruce laughs without any humor. “I hope so.”

 

“There isn’t anything else to do,” Pepper replies. “Phil said he’d get you to the nearest airport, and I’ll pick you up there.”

 

“Thanks,” Bruce replies.

 

He has a message from Jennifer, saying that the mission went off without a hitch, and they have Barnes in custody. Or they have him at the compound. He’s cooperating, so it isn’t like they have to keep him locked up.

 

Unlike Tony. Shit.

 

Bruce grabs a quick shower even though he doesn’t have any clean clothes at hand. He feels marginally better after the hot water.

 

Coulson meets him in the hallway with a cup of coffee and a sympathetic smile. “How are you feeling?”

 

“I really don’t have an answer to that,” Bruce admits. “Let’s just say that I’m probably not going to destroy your base.”

 

“That’s good to hear, but I wasn’t really worried about the base,” Coulson counters.

 

Bruce shakes his head. “When do we need to leave?”

 

“Not for a couple of hours,” Coulson replies. “I think Skye and FitzSimmons wanted to see you before you left.”

 

Bruce mentally girds his loins. He’s not sure he can take any kind of sympathy at the moment, but they’re good kids, and they’ve been a huge help. He owes them whatever he can provide.

 

What he doesn’t expect is that no one asks him how he’s doing. Jemma hugs him, and Leo hands him a plate with a sandwich on it, and says, “It’s Jemma’s specialty.”

 

Skye says, “Man, yesterday was crazy! How are you doing?”

 

Bruce smiles tightly. “I’m fine. Thanks for your help yesterday. I don’t think I could have done it without you.”

 

He appreciates the concern, but he’d rather talk about anything else, and Jemma might sense that, because she starts talking about one of her current projects.

 

When Coulson pokes his head in to announce their departure, Fitz stands up as well. “Sir, I’d like to go.”

 

“Thank you, Leo, but that’s not necessary,” Bruce says.

 

Leo shakes his head. “No offense, Dr. Banner, but I think you could use me.”

 

“I’m sure I could, but—” Bruce begins.

 

“It’s up to you, Leo,” Coulson says.

 

Fitz picks up a duffel bag. “Let’s go, then.”

 

Bruce realizes that Fitz isn’t giving him a choice, and he’s grateful. “I won’t be able to go, but I’ll only be a phone call away,” Simmons adds, hugging Bruce again. She hands him a sack. “For the flight.”

 

There had been a time in Bruce’s life when he believed he’d never have friends or family again, a time when he thought he’d only have Tony, that his life was otherwise empty.

 

Right now, though, he can see the broader picture.

 

Coulson drives them to the airport, and Fitz shakes Pepper’s hand as she steps onto the tarmac. She gives Bruce a hug, and then says, “I’ll be there in a moment.”

 

Bruce gets the message, shakes Coulson’s hand, and then climbs the stairs to take a seat across from Fitz. “You didn’t have to do this.”

 

“You won’t have Mr. Stark to help solve the problem,” Fitz points out reasonably. “Two heads are better than one.”

 

“I don’t even know where to begin,” Bruce says.

 

Fitz hums thoughtfully. “What if Mr. Stark left you clues? I don’t think he’s been evil this entire time.”

 

Bruce takes a deep breath and forces himself to really think about it, rather than just reacting. Tony had been struggling up until the recent trip to the compound, when he’d suddenly begun sleeping through the night again, and his mood noticeably improved.

 

“You’re right,” Bruce says. “I think there was a trigger, although I don’t know what it was.”

 

“So, we figure it out, and we solve the problem,” Fitz says.

 

“The bigger issue is Jarvis,” Bruce admits. “I don’t know how to fix that.”

 

After Ultron, they’d put measures into place to protect Stark Industries, and now they’ve raised all their defenses. Processes that were previously automated have been put under manual review for the time being.

 

Bruce can see the lines of tension in Pepper’s face when she sits down next to him. “I’m taking care of it,” she says quietly. “I know your focus has to be on Tony right now, so let me worry about SI.”

 

“I can do both at the same time,” Bruce protests. “I’m a genius, after all.”

 

She puts her hand over his. “Bruce.”

 

“I can help,” Fitz says. “Just tell me what you need.”

 

Bruce closes his eyes, because the emotions are threatening to overwhelm him. If he thinks about it too much, he’ll curl up in a ball and just stop functioning. He shouldn’t have to deal with this without his husband.

 

“We can carry on without him for a while,” Pepper says briskly. “But he holds controlling shares in the company, and I don’t think we can let anybody know what’s happening.”

 

Bruce shakes his head. “No, we absolutely can’t. If the world found out that Iron Man had been compromised, the results could be disastrous.”

 

“I can work on some of the coding,” Fitz offers. “If you tell me what Jarvis normally does, I can help build processes that will take some of the burden off.”

 

That very practical suggestion spawns an effective brainstorming session—how they’re going to explain Tony’s absence, what they’re going to do to make sure SI can meet its obligations in the short term, how they’ll prevent additional problems in the meantime.

 

They don’t talk about what will happen if they can’t get Tony back. In the back of Bruce’s mind, he’s already thinking about how he’ll go about getting Tony declared incompetent if necessary, how he’ll honor Tony’s legacy.

 

But there’s a small part of him that’s hoping it’s all a mistake, that when he sees Tony, he’ll have a reasonable explanation.

 

They land at the compound, and Pepper puts her arm around Fitz’s shoulders. “I’ll give him the grand tour, Bruce. I know you want to see Tony.”

 

Jennifer jogs out to meet him, and the sympathy and devastation evident from her expression tell Bruce that it’s all really happening. She gives Pepper and Fitz quick hugs, then tucks her arm through Bruce’s. “Scott did great, by the way,” she says. “I know the timing is shitty, and I can talk to Pepper about it, too, but it might be good if you had a word with his parole officer.”

 

“Can you remind me about that this evening?” Bruce asks. “I’d be happy to, but I don’t think I’ll remember.”

 

He can’t ask Jarvis to remind him for obvious reason, but Jennifer says, “Sure. Of course.”

 

“How is he?” Bruce asks.

 

“We haven’t engaged with him since he woke up,” Jennifer admits. “We were busy retrieving Barnes, and we weren’t sure whether it would be counterproductive.”

 

“Okay,” Bruce says, steeling himself. “I guess we’ll see.”

 

They put Tony in a safe room, one set aside for enhanced people who were out of control for one reason or another. From the observation room, Bruce can see Tony pacing, and his heart clenches. He knows, based on what Tony told him, that this is a very similar scenario to what he’d found himself in with Hydra at the beginning.

 

Jennifer and Steve had been thorough, leaving him with nothing but his pants and shirt, and nothing in the room that he could use to get himself out. There is still the possibility that Jarvis could help, but the EMP fried the main server, and Skye had worked the problem as well. They should be okay.

 

Jennifer squeezes his arm. “Do you want me to come in there with you?”

 

“No, I think I’d better do it on my own,” Bruce replies. “Thanks, though.”

 

“Anytime, cuz.”

 

Bruce slips inside the safe room, watching as Tony paces. “Hey.”

 

“Bruce!” Tony says. “You’re going to get me out of here, right?”

 

“I can’t do that, Tony,” Bruce replies. “Did they tell you the arc reactor in Navarro came pretty close to blowing?”

 

Tony snorts. “That’s impossible. I didn’t build it to blow.”

 

“And you’re the one who could sabotage it like that,” Bruce replies. “It’s not me, it’s not FitzSimmons. You’re the only one, Tony. Or should I even call you Tony?”

 

Tony straightens, the emotion disappearing from his face, replaced by a cold smile. “I’m still Tony. I’m the better version.”

 

Bruce stares at him for a long moment. “I’m going to root Hydra out of your head. And then I’m going to burn it to the ground, root and branch. You messed with the wrong fucking team.”

 

“And do you think there will be anything left of the man you loved when you’re done?” Tony’s voice asks. “I’m here to stay, Brucie.”

 

“We’ll see about that,” Bruce mutters. When he gets outside, he leans against the wall, sliding down, letting his grief manifest fully for the first time.

 

He has no idea if it’s even possible to get Hydra out of Tony’s head, no idea how to ensure that Tony is no longer a loaded weapon.

 

He closes his eyes, and feels rather than sees another person sit down next to him. “So, this is horrible.”

 

Bruce barks a wet laugh. “Yeah. You could say that.”

 

Jennifer puts her head on his shoulder. “We’re going to get him back, Bruce. We’re going to end Hydra.”

 

“I wish I believed that right now,” Bruce replies.

 

“We have a team with us,” Jennifer reminds him. “We have Barnes. We have an insight into Hydra and their brainwashing. We can search the world for a solution. Don’t lose faith.”

 

Bruce takes a deep breath. “I have faith in us, just—not so much right this second. I should have seen it, Jen.”

 

“We all should have,” Jennifer replies. “If we hadn’t been so distracted, maybe we would have.”

 

“Maybe,” Bruce says. “I don’t know if I can do this.”

 

“You lean on me,” Jen says. “I’ll carry you, Bruce. The team is going to carry you. We’re all going to work to get him back.”

 

And for a few moments, Bruce just lets himself grieve. He’ll have to get back to work soon enough.


	3. Chapter 3

Tony stalks the outlines of the room, testing the door, and any other way of getting out. The problem is that he built this wing to be secure. He and Bruce designed this area, coming up with every potential scenario and weak point.

 

And now, he’s stuck, hoist by his own petard.

 

Tony isn’t sure how much time has passed between now and when Bruce visited, but the door slides open again. Tony can see Sam Wilson in the hall behind Bruce as he enters, as well as another armed guard, and Bruce is carrying a tray of food.

 

“So, you’re back for more, huh?” Tony asks. “You didn’t get enough?”

 

“I just thought you might be hungry, that’s all,” Bruce says mildly. “That maybe you’d want to talk. You have to be bored in here.”

 

Tony smirks. “You want to do something about it? Bring me a computer.”

 

“I think you know me better than that,” Bruce replies. “I can bring you some books or journals to read if you’d like.”

 

“You know _me_ better than that,” Tony replies. “I’m no Luddite.”

 

Bruce shrugs. “Suit yourself.”

 

He turns to go, and Tony calls out, “That’s it? You’re leaving already?”

 

Bruce looks at him. “I’ll stay, if you answer one question.”

 

Tony is bored enough to humor him. “Sure, of course. Happy to.”

 

“Why Navarro?” Bruce asks. “That’s a lot of innocent lives lost, and most of them are inconsequential.”

 

Tony bristles. “You don’t think that was the point?”

 

“What _was_ the point, Tony?” Bruce asks gently.

 

“That recruiting me wasn’t the whole point?” Tony asks. “They wanted the arc reactor to blow, and I was the means to do it. Come on, Bruce! You aren’t stupid.”

 

“So, they wanted to use you to erode support for the Avengers, and Stark Industries,” Bruce says. “To bring us under the control of someone they probably control. Get us out of the way of Hydra.”

 

Tony shrugs. “Yeah, probably. So what?”

 

“So, I think you’re bored,” Bruce says. “I think part of what kept you under Hydra’s control—because the Tony Stark I know isn’t compliant—was the thrill of the problem. You had to keep things under the radar, to fool everybody. And that was thrilling, it was a challenge, but you’re not challenged right now. You’re bored, and you’re going to continue to be bored, and the Tony I know is going to claw to get out.”

 

Tony feels panic claw at his throat. “Fuck you.”

 

Bruce smirks. “Not until Hydra’s out of your head. And you can think about _that_ , too.”

 

“I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know!” Tony protests.

 

Bruce shrugs. “Maybe not, but maybe when I come back in a couple of days, you’ll have changed your tune.”

 

Tony feels frustration mounting. “You can’t leave me here!”

 

“Sure I can,” Bruce replies. “Let me know if you change your mind about those science journals.”

 

And as Bruce leaves, Tony feels a desperation that he can’t entirely explain.

 

~~~~~

 

Pepper waits outside the safe room, wanting to be a support for Bruce, and she’s soon joined by Jennifer. “How’s it going?” Jennifer asks.

 

“I’m worried on several fronts,” Pepper admits. “We’re going to have to figure out how to do without Jarvis.”

 

Jennifer winces. “How’s that going?”

 

“We’ve made some of the automated processes manual, and we have people working on shoring up our code,” Pepper admits. “It helps that Scott and Skye have worked on the problem before and are fairly trustworthy.”

 

“I hope that’s true,” Jennifer replies. “I just—everything is up in the air right now.”

 

“How is Barnes doing?” Pepper asks.

 

Jennifer shrugs. “I don’t know. He’s been sticking pretty close to Steve. He seems to be doing fine, though.”

 

“So, he’s not triggered, but Tony is?” Pepper asks.

 

She sighs. “Yeah, I think so. From what Bruce has said, he’s hopeful that the boredom will help Tony get back to normal.”

 

Fitz barrels down the hallway. “Is Bruce still with Tony?”

 

“He should be out shortly,” Jennifer says.

 

Fitz nods. “I have some things for him.”

 

When Bruce emerges, he flinches when he sees all of them, and Pepper exchanges a look with Jennifer, who says, “We can deal with our part of it later. Fitz, you talk to him.”

 

“I’m not in the mood right now,” Bruce says dully.

 

“I found something when I was going through Mr. Stark’s recent work, like you suggested,” Fitz says breathlessly. “And I found a couple of things that might help.”

 

Bruce frowns. “Fitz—”

 

“I think Mr. Stark sensed something, because he was working on this project—well, two projects,” Fitz insists. “Come on. I have to show you.”

 

Bruce visibly gathers himself. “Pepper—”

 

“Don’t worry about it,” Pepper insists. “Focus on Tony, and I’ll make sure your research assistants handle whatever they can.”

 

Bruce nods. “I think Scott has to get back tomorrow.”

 

“We’re leaving tonight,” Pepper replies. “But you have my support. _Anything_ you need, Bruce, and I mean it.”

 

He nods. “Thanks. That means a lot.”

 

“I might have something that will help fix Jarvis, too,” Fitz says.

 

Pepper nods. “I’m sure Scott will have some ideas as well. Thank you, Leo.”

 

“Of course,” Fitz replies.

 

Pepper hugs Bruce tightly, and she feels him cling just a bit before he lets go. “Lead the way, Leo.”

 

Jennifer hugs Pepper as well. “I’m on guard duty here until midnight.”

 

Pepper hasn’t actually met Scott Lang in person, although she’s heard a lot about him, and his manager sings his praises. Jennifer describes him as adorably wide-eyed, and that seems to fit him to a T when they meet next to the Stark Industries’ jet, which is parked at the compound.

 

“Ms. Potts, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” Scott says earnestly. “And I don’t think I’ve been able to say this in person yet, but thank you for the opportunity.”

 

“You’ve been doing great work by all reports,” Pepper replies. “I think we got an excellent deal.”

 

Scott hesitates. “Would it be weird if I asked you for your autograph? My daughter Cassie thinks you’re awesome.”

 

Pepper rarely gets asked for her autograph, and she’s charmed. “Of course. I’d be happy to sign something.”

 

“Actually, I have this,” Scott replies, whipping out a picture he’d apparently snapped at dinner last night. Tony is missing, of course, but everybody else is there, including a corner of Scott’s face. There are a few signatures on it—Steve and Sam, Jennifer and Clint and Natasha. Scott even got Bruce to sign it, as distracted as he’s been.

 

“I think this makes you father of the year material,” Pepper says, signing her name with a flourish, and adds a note, “Keep being awesome!”

 

Scott smiles down at the picture. “I’ll probably make a copy for myself, just so I can remember that it’s real. There are some mornings that I have a hard time believing it.”

 

“I think we all feel that way sometimes,” Pepper replies. “I know I certainly do.”

 

“Do you think Mr. Stark is going to be okay?” Scott asks. “I didn’t really want to ask Bruce that, because it seemed insensitive.”

 

“If there’s anybody who can figure out how to save him, it’s Bruce,” Pepper replies. “But I’m going to need your help with SI in the meantime.”

 

Scott grins. “Yeah, of course. Whatever you need from me.”

 

Pepper thinks that Scott might end up going very far indeed in SI, and if Matty spins it right, it’s going to make them look that much better.

 

~~~~~

 

 Bruce feels unutterably weary as he follows Fitz into his lab, where Fitz has set up shop. “Okay, Tony has been working on an AI, and as far as I can tell, it’s been completely cut off from Jarvis, and is capable of taking over for him while we get it sorted out,” Fitz says. “That’s the easy part.”

 

“I’ll take a look at the code and see if it’s safe to deploy,” Bruce replies. “What else?”

 

“I’ve been going over the logs, and based on what you told me, I’ve narrowed down when Hydra fully triggered Mr. Stark,” Fitz says. “And he was working really hard on one project in particular before that, but didn’t touch it after.”

 

Bruce thinks that sounds promising, so he motions for Fitz to show him. It doesn’t take long before he realizes that it’s ostensibly a therapy device, a way to work through trauma.

 

He’s tired, and he knows he’s not thinking clearly, so it takes a moment to sink in, but he realizes that Tony started work on a device that might root Hydra out of his head. It’s not complete, but Bruce can see the bare bones of the idea, and it’s like a cry for help.

 

“I knew I married a genius,” Bruce mutters. “Dammit, Tony, why didn’t you _say_ something?”

 

“Maybe he couldn’t?” Fitz suggests. “They might have wired him that way.”

 

Bruce nods. “Possibly. Not that it matters now. Right now, we have to figure out if it will work, and if it won’t, we’ll have to come up with another solution.”

 

Fitz grimaces. “I don’t know how we’ll test it, though. It requires willing participation.”

 

Bruce sighs. “I know, but we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.”

 

The device is unfinished, and Bruce isn’t sure how to make it work. It’s outside his usual area of expertise, and Tony hadn’t left a lot of notes on how he intended for it to work.

 

So, they have a solution, but no way to utilize it.

 

Bruce glances at Fitz. “I’m not exactly sure how to make this work.”

 

“We’ll figure it out,” Fitz insists. “I’ll start researching.”

 

He runs a hand through his hair. “It might be easier if we brought in an expert.”

 

“Who would that be?” Fitz asks.

 

“The better question is who can we trust,” Bruce murmurs. They can’t risk word getting out about Navarro, or that Tony has become an agent of Hydra.

 

Bruce would like to seek help, but he doesn’t know where to turn. He doesn’t even know where to start.

 

“Maybe we should ask Director Coulson,” Fitz suggests. “He had his brain rewritten.”

 

Bruce frowns. “Maybe, but didn’t he have a lot of problems? He broke up with Pepper, and she said he wasn’t acting like himself.”

 

“But maybe he’ll know someone who does know,” Fitz points out.

 

Bruce sighs. “Ask him. I’m willing to do just about anything at this point.”

 

As it gets later, Bruce sends Fitz out to get food and rest. “What about you?” Fitz asks.

 

“I’ll eat soon,” Bruce assures him. “I just—I want to get a little further on this first.”

 

Fitz shoots him a concerned look, but doesn’t argue otherwise. Bruce reviews the code for the new AI, while mulling over how to get Tony back. The AI looks good, maybe not as advanced as Jarvis, but still capable of doing a lot of what Jarvis was doing.

 

“Hey.”

 

Bruce half turns to see Steve hovering in the doorway, and he summons a smile. “Hi, Steve. How is Sergeant Barnes doing?”

 

“He seems fine,” Steve replies. “I mean, maybe a little freaked out, but fine.”

 

“Good.” Bruce turns back to his screen.

 

“Bruce, I made dinner,” Steve says. “Well, Sam did, and I helped. Bucky made something for dessert.”

 

“I need to work on this,” Bruce says without looking at him.

 

In truth, Bruce is happy for Steve, that they finally found his friend, but Barnes seems fine—or at least isn’t actively murderous. Bruce resents that fact.

 

“You also need to eat,” Steve counters. “And I think we all know that this is likely to be a marathon, not a sprint.”

 

Bruce closes his eyes. “I need to work the problem right now.”

 

“I’ll bring you a plate,” Steve replies. “Or Jen will. But someone is going to be looking in on you.”

 

“That sounds like a threat.”

 

“We’re a team,” Steve says, and there’s a note of censure in his voice.

 

Bruce rubs his eyes. “God, I’m sorry. I just—”

 

He’s dangerously close to losing it. He grips the table and hears it crack, and he can hear Steve’s footsteps heading out of the room. Probably for the best. Bruce isn’t sure he can handle company right now.

 

Strong arms surround him, and Bruce can hear Jennifer say, “It’s okay, Bruce. We’re going to get him back.”

 

“You don’t know that,” Bruce objects.

 

“I know you, and I know our team, and we’re going to get him back,” Jennifer insists. “But you have to eat, and you have to sleep, and you have to let us help.”

 

“How?” Bruce asks.

 

“By making sure you can help _him_ ,” Jennifer replies. “I get it if you want to be alone right now, but you need to let us be there for you in the ways that we can.”

 

Bruce sighs. “I hate that Barnes is okay and Tony isn’t.”

 

“So do I,” Jennifer replies. “But that doesn’t mean Barnes is a bad guy, or that it’s Steve’s fault.”

 

“It’s Hydra’s fault,” Bruce says. “It’s all Hydra’s fault, and I’m going to take them down, all of them, but I just—I need Tony back.”

 

“Do you know anybody who might be able to help?” Jennifer asks.

 

Bruce shakes his head. “Not on something like this, but I don’t know.”

 

“Take a break, get some food, maybe catch a nap,” Jennifer replies. “Come at it fresh. You and I both know that there are times when you need a break from the problem so you can attack it from a new angle.”

 

Bruce knows she’s right. “Okay. I’ll eat, and I’ll sleep, but I don’t really want to talk to anybody.”

 

“I’ll bring you something,” Jennifer offers.

 

Bruce takes a deep breath and tries to focus on the problem, but he knows Jennifer is right, and so he saves his work and shuts it down, and then he allows himself to fall apart a little bit.

 

~~~~~

 

Jennifer comes back into the kitchen after delivering a plate to Bruce. She’s terribly worried about him, but he’s obviously not interested in talking, even to her.

 

Sam gives her a concerned look. “How is he?”

 

“Not great,” Jennifer replies. “He’s not sure we’re going to be able to get Tony back.”

 

“I thought Fitz found something,” Steve says.

 

“Tony was working on a project before he got completely triggered,” Jennifer replies. “But we’re not sure how it works, and I don’t think Tony’s going to cooperate.”

 

Barnes hesitates, and then says, “I’m willing to be a guinea pig if he needs one.”

 

“You don’t have to do that, Buck,” Steve objects.

 

“Yeah, I think I do,” Barnes replies. “I want Hydra out of my head, Steve.”

 

“We have to figure out how we’re doing it first,” Jennifer mutters.

 

“We will,” Sam says, resting a hand on her back.

 

Jennifer is feeling a little uncomfortable, worried and unsettled, but she manages not to shrug off Sam’s gentle touch. She shouldn’t resent his reassurance. She’d offered the same thing to Bruce not that long ago.

 

Maybe Sam senses that, because he lets his hand drop, even as he shoots her another look.

 

“I’ll be okay,” Jennifer insists. “Sorry, it’s just—I haven’t seen Bruce that close to the edge in a long time.”

 

Natasha clears her throat. “We’re not going to solve it tonight. Right now, we’re containing the threat.”

 

Clint isn’t there, and Jennifer thinks he’s spending time with his family before pulling his own shift guarding Tony. The Avengers are handling most of the guard duty, other than Maria Hill and a couple of SHIELD agents she trusts implicitly.

 

Other than Bruce, anyway. They’re trying to keep Bruce away from Tony as much as possible, because it’s just too hard for him to see Tony right now.

 

The conversation over dinner is stilted, uncomfortable, the air filled with things they can’t say, the absence of Bruce and Tony too obvious.

 

When Jennifer has eaten enough to shut down any concerns about her lack of appetite, she gets up and says, “I’ll take a plate to Tony.”

 

“Do you want company?” Sam asks.

 

“Not really,” she replies with an apologetic smile. “Maybe later, though.”

 

“Be careful,” Steve warns her. “Are you planning on staying?”

 

She shrugs. “Until Clint arrives anyway.”

 

“I’ll look in on Bruce later,” Natasha offers.

 

Considering that Natasha is probably one of the few people Bruce could stand to see right now, Jennifer figures that’s for the best.

 

Jennifer isn’t clear on all of the security measures for the room where they’re keeping him, but Tony hasn’t been able to escape so far.

 

She might have been amused by the fact that Tony has been instrumental in keeping himself locked up, except the circumstances are too horrible.

 

Maria Hill is standing guard, along with another SHIELD agent, and Maria nods at her. “He’s in a mood,” she warns. “I think he’s bored.”

 

“Maybe if he’s bored, the conditioning will start to break down,” Jennifer says, without much hope. Although if anything is likely to break Tony, boredom would be it.

 

Tony is pacing when Jennifer enters his holding cell. There’s a small bathroom attached, so they don’t have to let him out for anything. They just have to deliver food, and they can pass that through a slot in the door.

 

But Jennifer wants to see him.

 

“Where’s Bruce?” Tony asks. “I haven’t seen him in a few days.”

 

“Why does that surprise you?” Jennifer asks. “You’ve turned into a raging Hydra asshole wearing his husband’s face.”

 

“I think he could learn to love me,” Tony replies with a smirk. “We could rule the world together.”

 

“For Hydra?” Jennifer asks. “After you tried to destroy Navarro? After you nearly got me and Sam killed? I don’t think so.”

 

Tony gives her a look. “What if it wasn’t for Hydra? What if we just ruled the world? Surely, you agree that we could do a better job than some of those other assholes like Ross.”

 

“Maybe I do,” Jennifer admits. “But we can’t trust you while you still have Hydra in your head. Talk to me again when you’re back to normal.”

 

“And what if this is the new normal?” Tony asks, and he sounds almost curious, almost like himself.

 

Jennifer doesn’t allow herself to answer that question, because she can’t. She just turns on her heel and leaves

 

Sam is waiting for her when she comes out, leaning on his crutches. “You okay?”

 

“I’ve been better,” Jennifer admits. “Tony suggested that the Avengers take over the world.”

 

“With him in charge, I suppose,” Sam murmurs.

 

Jennifer shrugs. “That seems to be the general theme. Why would we need Hydra if we could have Tony Stark as leader of the free world? Wouldn’t he be better than someone like Ross?”

 

“Isn’t that the general who was responsible for you going green?” Sam asks.

 

“And the one who didn’t face any consequences, who wanted to use Bruce and me as weapons,” Jennifer confirms. “The thing is, if it had been Tony—the real Tony—asking me that question, I would be tempted.”

 

Sam smiles. “Understandable. The world can be a shitty place. Who doesn’t think they could do a better job if they were in charge?”

 

Jennifer sighs and laughs, all at the same time. “Personally, I think I’d put Pepper in charge.”

 

“I could get behind that plan,” Sam replies. “Pepper Potts for President has a nice ring.” He pauses. “Do you want company, or do you want to be alone tonight?”

 

Jennifer could really go either way, but then she says, “Would you just hold me?”

 

“Yeah, Jen,” Sam says gently. “I can do that. Whatever you need.”

 

And this is one of those moments where Jennifer really wants their relationship to work out.

 

~~~~~

 

Pepper spends a couple of weeks in California, one in Los Angeles, and the other in San Francisco, working on getting the other AI up and running to solve the problems Jarvis caused. Scott and the other systems managers are working long hours, trying to create a system independent of Jarvis. The AI Fitz found is helping, but it’s a stop gap measure at best.

 

“Have we had any other problems?” Pepper asks.

 

Scott shrugs. “A few glitches, but we’ve got alerts set up everywhere we can think of, and we’ve got people watching 24/7 to catch them before something terrible happens. I think that’s as much as we can do.”

 

Pepper nods. “Well, good job. You’ve been doing really well, and I’m glad you’re on board.”

 

Scott blushes. “Thanks. I appreciate hearing that.”

 

“Keep up the good work, and I’ll be forced to put you in charge of something,” Pepper replies.

 

“That sounds like a threat,” Scott says with a crooked grin.

 

Pepper laughs. “It’s the price of competency. How do you think I wound up as CEO?”

 

“Well, I thought it was because Mr. Stark was a genius,” Scott replies.

 

“Flattery will get you everywhere,” Pepper says. “Thanks for your hard work, and tell Cassie I said hello.”

 

Scott grins. “I will. You know, she’s been telling everybody at school that I work for you, and that makes her dad the coolest. It’s a good feeling.”

 

“I hope you continue to enjoy your job,” Pepper replies. “I’m headed to New York shortly, but let me know if you need anything.”

 

Scott nods. “Sure thing, Ms. Potts.”

 

She wants to spend some time in the city, closer to the compound, and to Bruce and Tony and Jennifer, just in case she’s needed. Not that she thinks they will, or that they’ll admit to it if they do.

 

Matty is waiting for her in the office she keeps in the Tower. “How are we going to spin this?” Pepper asks him.

 

“What? Tony’s sudden disappearance?” Matty asks. “The fact that he’s been a double agent has been kept very much under wraps. I haven’t heard so much as a whisper of a rumor.”

 

“Good,” Pepper says. “I want to keep it that way. I think we need to come up with a story for his long-term absence, because we don’t know how long it’s going to take to fix him.”

 

Matty drums his fingers on the arm of the chair. “He had a period of being captured, and I think everyone assumes he was tortured. He was tortured in Afghanistan. It would be natural for him and Bruce to take some time to regroup. Maybe they’re doing a science retreat?”

 

“What would be the impact or releasing the information that the Avengers have the Winter Soldier in custody?” Pepper asks.

 

Matty, who knows the full story, shakes his head. “It’s no good. They’d have the Army on their doorstep right away, wanting to take him. I get that he was brainwashed to be Hydra’s tool, but he still murdered a lot of people.”

 

“What if he wasn’t the Winter Soldier?” Pepper asks. “What if they recovered someone—a SHIELD agent—who had been tortured by Hydra, and they’re working on a cure, some way to counter the brainwashing.”

 

Matty winces. “That might be a little too on the nose. And you run the risk of people asking questions about whether they can trust the Avengers.”

 

Pepper leans back in her seat, thinking about the problem. “Do you have a recommendation?”

 

“A lab accident?” Matty suggests, “with a serious injury?”

 

Pepper nods. “That might work. I suggest talking to Bruce about that; he might have an idea for the kind of accident makes the most sense.”

 

“I’ll do that,” Matty agrees. “Do you suggest going up to the compound? Or taking Matty and Peter?”

 

“Not just yet,” Pepper replies. “I trust Aaron, but he’ll want to see Tony, and I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

 

Matty nods. “I was hoping you’d say that, actually. I didn’t want to be the bad guy, to be honest.”

 

Pepper laughs. “I don’t blame you. You can tell him it was my decision.”

 

“I’ll get with Dr. Banner,” Matty replies. “We’ll come up with a reasonable explanation.”

 

Pepper’s phone chimes, and she glances down at the screen to see Phil’s name. “Just a second. I should probably take this.”

 

“I hope I didn’t catch you at a bad time,” Phil says.

 

“I was just strategizing with Matty,” Pepper replies. “What can I do for you?”

 

“I’m in New York,” Phil replies. “I was hoping I could speak with you in person.”

 

Pepper doesn’t ask how he knew her whereabouts, figuring it has something to do with him being the director of a spy agency. “I’m at the Tower, in my office, and I had planned on being here for the next few days.”

 

“I’ll be there in fifteen minutes,” Phil replies.

 

“I’ll see you then,” Pepper replies.

 

Matty rises as she hangs up. “I need to talk to Dr. Banner, anyway. I’ll let you go.”

 

“Thanks for coming by, Matty,” Pepper says. “I know Bruce appreciates your support, and Tony would as well if he were in his right mind.”

 

“Hang in there, Pepper,” Matty says. “And if you need a break, let me know, and we’ll go out for a drink.”

 

She smiles. “Thank you. I appreciate it.”

 

Pepper isn’t sure what Phil is going to say, or why he’s there, but she’s happy to see him. She’s happy to spend some time with another grownup who might have his problems, but will provide a shoulder for her.

 

Phil shows up fifteen minutes later, as promised, and he closes the door behind him. “Hey.”

 

“Hi,” she replies. When he spreads his arms, Pepper steps up to him, and she appreciates the hug, meant more to offer comfort than anything else.

 

“How are you holding up?” Phil asks.

 

Pepper laughs without much humor. “Oh, fine. I’m just worried, as usual.”

 

“With reason,” Phil replies. “I thought I’d offer my support, and maybe an option.”

 

“I’m listening,” Pepper says, taking the chair Matty just vacated.

 

Phil sits in the other chair, reaching out for her hand. “The machine that Fury used to bring me back might do the same for Tony, but it’s not without risks.”

 

“We’ll keep that in mind,” Pepper replies. “I think Bruce is working on a device, one that Tony created, but if that won’t do the job, we’ll consider your solution.”

 

Phil frowns. “Has Tony tried to escape?”

 

“Not so far,” Pepper replies. “Honestly, I’m surprised by that, but there’s a chance he wanted to be caught.”

 

“There’s always that chance,” Phil agrees. “What do you need from me?”

 

“I don’t know, but your company is always appreciated.” Pepper squeezes his hand. “What can I do for you?”

 

“How about dinner?” Phil suggests. “We don’t have to go anywhere if you want to stay in.”

 

Pepper smiles. “I would like that, too.”

 

Pepper sends an assistant out for food, and they’re about halfway through their dinner when reception buzzes her. “Ma’am, there are a couple of people out here, and they’re insisting on seeing you. They say they can help with Mr. Stark, but I don’t know what they mean. I thought he was upstate with Dr. Banner.”

 

“Did they give their names?” Pepper asks.

 

“Wanda and Pietro Maximoff, ma’am,” she replies.

 

Pepper shares an alarmed look with Phil, and she’s grateful for his presence. She’s not sure she’d agree to see them if Phil weren’t there. When he nods, Pepper says, “Send them up.”

 

“Do you have any idea what this is about?” Phil asks.

 

“The last I heard, they were working with Hydra,” Pepper replies. “They’re on a number of watch lists, so how they got here—”

 

“One is fast, and the other one is weird,” Phil says. “I imagine they found a way around it.”

 

“I hope you’re armed,” Pepper mutters.

 

Phil smiles. “Always.”

 

The kids aren’t what she expects. They’re young and a little ragged looking, like they’ve been sleeping rough lately. Their expressions are—penitent, if Pepper has to put a word to it.

 

“I’m going to ask you to keep your hands visible at all times,” Phil says. “And if I think you pose a threat to Ms. Potts, I’ll shoot first and ask questions later.”

 

Pietro puts himself between Phil and his sister. “We have information.”

 

“So you told our receptionist,” Pepper says mildly. “Please, have a seat.” There’s a couch in her office, and after a moment’s hesitation, they sit. “I assume there’s a reason you’re approaching me, rather than one of the Avengers.”

 

“We didn’t want to alarm Dr. Banner or Ms. Walters, and they would feel threatened by our presence,” Pietro says stiffly.

 

“There’s a good reason for that,” Pepper replies.

 

Wanda clears her throat. “We didn’t know.”

 

“You didn’t know what?” Pepper asks gently.

 

“We didn’t know what Hydra was,” Wanda replies, her voice stronger. “We thought—our parents—”

 

“They were killed by Stark weapons,” Pietro says, taking over the story. “We wanted revenge, and Hydra said they would give it to us.”

 

“You attacked Dr. Banner and Ms. Walters,” Pepper points out. “They didn’t hurt you.”

 

“They’re with Stark,” Pietro spits out.

 

Wanda elbows him. “We’re very sorry. We were creating a distraction. But we saw them on the news, and they’re fine. There was no long-term damage.”

 

Pepper sighs. “True enough. Okay, why are you here?”

 

“We found out that Hydra—that they were Nazis,” Wanda says. “And we’re Romani and Jewish, and we started digging.”

 

She reaches into her pocket, and Phil says, “I need to see your hands, please.”

 

“I have a flash drive,” Wanda says.

 

Phil nods. “Slowly.”

 

Wanda produces a flash drive and holds it out to Phil, who takes it and hands it to Pepper. She hesitates before she plugs it into her computer, knowing that there could be a cyber threat. On the other hand, she has a gut feeling, and she decides to trust it.

 

Phil gives her a look that says he knows exactly what risks she’s taking, but he doesn’t say anything. Pepper begins to review the files on the flash drive, and quickly realizes that the Maximoffs have handed them a treasure trove of data. She has no idea whether Bruce and Tony have this, but when she opens the file marked “conditioning,” she realizes that it’s an outline of how they brainwashed Tony.

 

She closes the file and ejects the flash drive. “Thank you.”

 

Wanda offers a shy smile. “It will help?”

 

“Yes, it will help,” Pepper replies.

 

Wanda clears her throat. “I can help, with the conditioning.”

 

Pepper isn’t giving anything away. “What are you talking about?”

 

“We found the information when we began to dig,” Pietro replies, sounding disgruntled. Pepper gets the feeling that he’s here because Wanda convinced him to do this, not because his feelings about Tony have changed. “Hydra conditioned Stark. He has not been in the news. We knew what had happened. We know how Hydra works.”

 

“I’ll need to talk to Dr. Banner,” Pepper says. “I can’t say anything further until I’ve spoken with him, and he’s reviewed the information.”

 

“And you’re wanted in connection with your actions in Sokovia, so I can’t just let you go,” Phil adds. “But the information you brought to us, and your assistance, will go a long way in us believing you’re not a threat.”

 

Wanda and Pietro both nod, as though they expected as much, and Pepper feels her respect for them increase. They had shown a lot of courage in coming here, putting their freedom in jeopardy when they had been able to remain free for so long.

 

“We want to help,” Wanda insists, her voice faint.

 

“And I hope that you will,” Pepper replies. “But Bruce is Tony’s husband and holds the ultimate authority on what decisions we’ll make.”

 

They don’t protest that, and allow Phil to usher them out. Phil shoots her an apologetic glance as he leaves her office, ushering them out ahead of him.

 

Pepper calls Bruce right away. “I have some information that can help Tony, I think. I can come to you, or you can come to me.”

 

“I’ll come to you,” Bruce replies. “I could stand the break.”

 

“I’ll bet,” Pepper says. “I’ll be at the Tower.”

 

Pepper leans back in her chair and realizes that she’s in the thick of it again.

 

~~~~~

 

Bruce doesn’t see Tony before he heads to the city, deliberately avoiding him so as to not risk setting himself off.

 

He wants to see Tony and he doesn’t. He wants his husband back; he doesn’t want the Hydra tool.

 

Jen keeps telling him to take care of himself, to work on a fix for Tony and let them worry about the rest of it, and he’s willing to do that.

 

Bruce _needs_ to do that right now.

 

And if Pepper thinks she has information that can help Tony, Bruce will take it.

 

He drives down to the city, relishing the feeling of being alone for the first time in a while. Even when he’s working by himself in the lab, there are always people around the compound, and the rest of the team has a tendency to stick their heads in at regular intervals.

 

Bruce doesn’t blame them, and he tries not to resent them for it, but it’s hard.

 

He pulls up into the garage under the Tower and sees Dominique Green standing by. “Dr. Banner, how are you?” she asks. “I haven’t seen you in a while.”

 

“I’ve been working on a project upstate, and I was traveling before that,” Bruce replies. “It’s good to see you, though. How are the kids?”

 

He makes pleasant small talk for a few minutes, knowing that it’s important to present a picture of normalcy for anyone other than those already in the know.

 

“Don’t be a stranger, Dr. Banner,” she says as he heads for the elevator.

 

“I’ll do my best,” Bruce replies.

 

He heads up to Pepper’s office, and finds her sitting in front of her computer. “What happened?”

 

“Phil came by, and while he was here, the Maximoffs showed up,” Pepper replies.

 

Bruce blinks. “Are they still here?”

 

“No, of course not. Phil took them into custody temporarily, just until we can figure out what to do with them, and their information,” Pepper replies. “I wouldn’t spring that on you, Bruce. Not right now—not ever.”

 

Bruce lets out a breath. “Got it. Thanks. Sorry.”

 

“You’re on edge, that’s normal, but I’m hoping this will help. I’ve been looking through their files, and I think there might be something here.”

 

Bruce wheels a chair around to join her on the other side of the desk. “Don’t you have a company to run?”

 

“I do, but can you imagine the fallout if we don’t get Tony back, or it becomes widely known that Hydra managed to brainwash him?” Pepper asks. “This is my priority right now.”

 

Bruce hasn’t allowed himself to think of the probable consequences. He knows it would be bad if anybody found out the arc reactor came close to blowing, but people expect machinery to break down. Maybe not Stark tech, but it could still happen.

 

But to have a hero like Iron Man kidnapped and turned into a sleeper agent? People might start wondering who else had been brainwashed. They might start wondering how the other Avengers had missed it, or how many of them were dangerous.

 

They might start talking about how they could control the Avengers.

 

“I know,” he says. “So, what did they bring us, and why?”

 

“They said they didn’t know what Hydra was, and just wanted revenge on Tony,” Pepper replies. “They said the rest of their family was killed by Stark weapons.”

 

Bruce winces. “Okay, I can’t really fault them. There was a bad moment when I first saw Tony, and I thought about all the Stark weapons used against me…”

 

“I’m glad you listened to the better angels of your nature,” Pepper replies, putting a hand on his arm. “I think they were sincere, mostly because of this file.”

 

Bruce puts his glasses on, and realizes that they’ve been handed the keys to the kingdom—the exact methodology used to brainwash Tony, and enough information on the Winter Soldier to probably defuse that bomb as well.

 

“Wanda offered to help,” Pepper says.

 

Bruce immediately shakes his head. “Not with Tony. The therapy device he created can be reprogrammed, and they had one shot with him. Now that I see what they used, the methods used, I can reverse them using his device.”

 

“You don’t want Wanda in his head,” Pepper says.

 

“I really don’t,” Bruce admits. “Maybe they’ve seen the error of their ways and want to help, and that’s great, but they have a pretty powerful motive to hurt Tony. I’m not risking it.”

 

“So, you want Phil to hang on to them?” Pepper asks.

 

Bruce shakes his head. “I do, because while Wanda might have a motive to hurt Tony, I don’t think the same is true for Sergeant Barnes, and his programming runs a hell of a lot deeper. That one is going to take more time to solve.”

 

He sighs, and adds, “And it’s going to be more dangerous, and we could probably use Tony’s help.”

 

Pepper nods. “What do you need?”

 

“I’m going to work from the Tower,” Bruce replies. “I need Fitz down here, but no one else. I need three days to get it right, and I don’t want any interruptions.”

 

“I’ll arrange for food delivery, and I’ll talk to Jennifer, who can talk to Steve,” Pepper decides. “The Penthouse and your floor of R&D will be closed to anyone other than you and Fitz, as well as whoever is delivering food. If you need anything, I’ll be on the premises, and I’ll send Ms. Green to retrieve Fitz.”

 

Bruce smiles. “Thanks, Pep.”

 

She kisses him on the cheek. “You save Tony; let me take care of everything else.”

 

Bruce doesn’t wait for Fitz to get started. He has the specs for the therapy device, and Jarvis is offline, even at the Tower. Bruce hasn’t even begun to think about how he might fix Jarvis, figuring that it will have to wait for Tony to get back to normal.

 

Fitz turns up sooner than Bruce expects. “Agent Romanoff gave me a lift to the airport and Ms. Green picked me up from there. What is it?”

 

“I know how to use Tony’s device to fix him,” Bruce replies. “I just need your help with the coding.”

 

Fitz’s eyes widen. “Seriously?”

 

“I have the blueprints for Tony’s conditioning,” Bruce replies. “That’s all I needed to figure out how to make this work. Do you think Jemma might be willing to give us a hand?”

 

Fitz nods eagerly. “Of course! What do you need from her?”

 

“I need a powerful hypnotic sedative, something without a lot of side effects, and that we can use without Tony knowing about it.”

 

Fitz grimaces. “Is that really necessary?”

 

“In this case, yes,” Bruce insists. “Do you think she can do it? Or should I use someone else?”

 

“I’ll explain what we need and why,” Fitz replies. “She’ll do it. But why?”

 

“We have to get under this persona Hydra created; it’s how Hydra planted it in the first place,” Bruce replies. “We’re going to reverse the brainwashing by reminding Tony of who he is.”

 

A smile blooms over Fitz’s face. “That sounds wicked.”

 

~~~~~

 

Bruce returns to the compound three days after meeting with Pepper, Fitz in tow, and a look of determination on his face. He calls a meeting with the rest of the team and fills them in on the plan, which no one really likes, but everybody agrees that Bruce gets to make the call.

 

That night, they drug Tony’s food and bring him to Bruce’s lab while unconscious, strapping him into a restraint chair. Jennifer watches as Bruce hooks him up to a glowing blue helmet and starts the program with a few key strokes.

 

A couple of hours later, Bruce says, “Okay, that’s round one done.”

 

Steve gently lifts Tony’s still form. “Back in his cell? I hate leaving him like this.”

 

“He can’t know that it’s anything other than dreams,” Bruce replies. “Make sure nothing in the room is disturbed.”

 

“I don’t get it,” Jennifer says. “Why do this when he’s asleep?”

 

Bruce glances up. He’s grown out a beard, probably because he hasn’t taken time to shave, but his eyes are bright with determination. “Hydra had him in a hypnotic trance when they implanted the suggestion and the trigger. I won’t say it was a simple solution, but it’s less complicated than I thought it would be now that I know exactly how they did it.”

 

Jennifer frowns. “I’m not sure I understand.”

 

“Hydra can’t rewrite 40-plus years of who a person is in a week,” Bruce replies. “Everything Tony is—it’s all there under the conditioning.”

 

Jennifer nods. “That much I understand.”

 

“So, they had to put him into a hypnotic, suggestible state in order to get under who he is, and then they triggered that personality,” Bruce explains, “which capitalizes on some of his less than stellar qualities. So, we put him in a suggestible state—like when he’s sleeping—and we bring out experiences that made him who he was until the real Tony breaks through.”

 

“It seems kind of shady,” Jennifer says. “I mean, you’re basically roofy-ing him, then fucking with his brain.”

 

“Normally, I would agree with you,” Bruce replies. “To be honest, I was hoping that locking him up and letting him be bored would allow the real Tony to shine through, but that hasn’t been the case. Desperate times, Jen.”

 

Jennifer sighs. “Yeah. I know it, and I know Tony will forgive us—”

 

“I don’t care if he forgives me,” Bruce says quietly. “He’s too dangerous. We got lucky that we have a fairly secure place to hold him, but he nearly turned Navarro into a smoking hole in the ground. He could do real damage. If we can’t get him back—”

 

“Of course we’re going to get him back!” Jennifer protests.

 

Bruce gives her a look. “But if we can’t, we need to have contingency plans in place.”

 

“What kind of plans?” Jennifer demands. “Because it sounds like you’re thinking something dramatic.”

 

“I don’t know, and I haven’t wanted to think about it,” Bruce replies. “There might be someone else out there who could help him, but we’re starting with the least drastic plan first.”

 

“Besides, Hydra has been pretty quiet,” Jennifer points out. “It seems like the calm before the storm.”

 

“They probably knew the arc reactor was supposed to blow, and have figured out we’re on to them,” Bruce replies. “We’ll take it in eight hour shifts. Jemma thinks that’s the safest interval for the drug.”

 

“How many sessions?” Jennifer asks.

 

Bruce just looks grim. “As many as it takes.”

 

~~~~~

 

Tony is bored. He’s bored and irritated and he feels as though there’s an itch inside his brain that he can’t scratch.

 

It’s an odd feeling.

 

Before—well, before he had purpose, maybe he’d felt this way. He doesn’t remember, he just knows that compliance will be rewarded, and it _had been_. Tony felt good, figuring out how to cause the arc reactor to break without warning, and without leaving any clues behind. He had fooled everybody into thinking he was fine because _he was_.

 

He rubs his forehead. He’s not sure how many days he’s spent in the room. The lights turn on and off at regular intervals, giving an appearance of day and night, but he has no idea how real or artificial the distinction is.

 

Jennifer, or Sam, or Steve, or once, Maria Hill, bring him meals, but after the first few times of trying to reason with him (Jennifer and Steve), they drop off the food and leave without saying much of anything.

 

The monotony is the worst part, and it’s making his head buzz.

 

The irony is killing him, because he and Bruce built the secure facilities, and they’d gone into it thinking that they needed to build a place so secure none of the Avengers could escape, just in case.

 

Tony had done his job too well.

 

And where is Bruce, anyway? Tony wonders. He would have thought Bruce would have visited more frequently. He threatened to burn Hydra root and branch, and then he really hasn’t been back but that one time.

 

Some small voice in the back of Tony’s brain reminds him that he’d been deliberately cruel, that he’d been responsible for a bunch of Hydra’s leaders escaping, and the trap that caught Jennifer and broke Sam’s leg. He had nearly decimated a town full of innocents because of the symbolism, and the fear it would create.

 

Tony has blood on his hands. It’s possible that Bruce won’t forgive him.

 

He shakes off the thought. He doesn’t care about Bruce or his feelings, or whether Bruce forgives him. His purpose is Hydra.

 

A yawn overtakes him. Tony feels like he’s been sleeping a lot, but then he’s been bored a lot, and sleeping is better than boredom.

 

As he drifts off, a memory comes to him, so vivid it takes his breath away—Bruce standing in the sick bay at Baghram, wearing borrowed clothes and bare feet. Bruce kissing him for the first time, and the knowledge that there was someone in the world who spoke his language and wanted him back.

 

Tony presses the heels of his hands into his eyes and whimpers. His head hurts, buzzing that much more.

 

He smells smoke, and he’s suddenly back in the cave in Afghanistan, and he’s had this dream a hundred times—sometimes it’s a dream, where he’s playing cards with Bruce and they’re talking quietly about clean energy. Sometimes, like now, it’s a nightmare.

 

His captor is screaming about him making a bomb, the Jericho bomb. “If you build this, you live, and if you do not, you die,” he shouts before he plunges Tony’s head under the icy water, repeating it over and over again.

 

“You just have to comply,” the voice whispers. “Just say yes.”

 

And for a second, Tony is tempted to say just that, but it’s important. He can’t hand this weapon to terrorists. “No,” he gasps. “I won’t!”

 

Tony opens his eyes and sits up quickly, glancing around his cell. The buzzing in his head has died down somewhat, but he’s sweat-soaked and feels as though he’s just run a marathon. “What the hell was that?” Tony mutters.

 

He’s not surprised when no one answers.

 

**Interlude**

 

Steve leans against the counter where Sam is stirring something on the stove, splitting his attention between the food and Bucky, who is tracing the grain of the granite counter with his thumb. He has his metal arm tucked against his body tightly, whether to discourage anybody from looking at it, or wishing they’d forget it was there.

 

“How are you doing, Buck?” Steve asks quietly.

 

Bucky glares at him. “Same as I’ve been the last hundred times you’ve asked that question.”

 

“I’m just—”

 

“Worried, yeah, I know,” Bucky replies, and his voice warms slightly. “Seems like there’s a lot to worry about.”

 

“There usually is,” Sam says. “At least around here. If someone’s not getting kidnapped, blown up, brainwashed, chased by murderous assassins—” He stops with a guilty glance at Bucky, who shrugs as if to say “if the shoe fits.”

 

“Bruce seems to have a plan,” Steve says, rounding up his optimism.

 

“He usually does,” Sam replies with a smile. “And a recipe.”

 

Bucky looks a little lost, and that makes sense. He and Bruce really haven’t interacted much, not with Bruce so focused on getting Tony back to normal.

 

“We nominated Bruce as team mom a while back,” Steve supplies. “He’s usually the one keeping everybody in line.”

 

“Seems like that’s the big green gal now,” Bucky says.

 

It’s Sam’s turn to glare. “Her name is Jennifer.”

 

“You two have a thing?” Bucky asks. “Because she’s hot.”

 

“ _She_ is also not a piece of meat to be discussed in absentia,” Jennifer says tartly as she enters. She’s wearing jeans and a t-shirt. “Can I help, Sam?”

 

“I thought you couldn’t cook,” Sam replies.

 

Jennifer smirks. “I can’t, but I might be able to follow directions.”

 

“Jury’s still out on that,” Steve mutters.

 

Jennifer narrows her eyes at him. “Do not test my patience, Steve. Not today.”

 

“What’s wrong?” Sam asks quietly.

 

Jennifer shakes her head. “I can’t talk about it. Not when Bruce is talking contingency plans if this doesn’t work, and—”

 

“Hey,” Sam says, balancing against the counter so he can wrap an arm around her shoulders. “It’s going to be okay.”

 

Steve feels as though he’s intruding on an intensely private moment, and he catches Bucky’s eye. They both back out as silently as possible.

 

“How are you holding up?” Steve asks. “I feel like we haven’t had much time to talk.”

 

“Because we haven’t,” Bucky replies. “It’s fine. I appreciate the rescue. The three hots and a cot doesn’t hurt either.”

 

Steve had honestly hoped that having Bucky with him would make him feel more secure, would serve as an anchor. He’d looked for that in Peggy—who had been unable to provide more than fleeting solace—and in SHIELD, now in shambles.

 

He looked for it in his team, too, but the current situation has underscored how tight of a unit Tony and Bruce are, and how much Jennifer is their family. He finally twigged onto Clint having his own family, and Natasha is an entity unto herself, and Sam is—well, things seem to be getting pretty serious with Jennifer, even if neither will admit it.

 

“You ever miss it?” Steve asks as they meander outside in a silence that doesn’t feel too uncomfortable.

 

“Miss what?” Bucky asks. “Brooklyn? You? Our unit? Hydra?”

 

Steve swallows. “You miss Hydra?”

 

Bucky sighs. “No.”

 

Steve knows when Bucky is lying, although Buck has always been better at it than him. “It’s okay if you do.”

 

It’s not even a little bit okay, but Steve wants to say the words anyway, just in case that’s what Bucky needs to hear.

 

“I miss the clarity,” Bucky says after a long moment. “When you’re a weapon, you go where they point. When you’re a person, you have to make the call, and I don’t know how good at that I am anymore.”

 

The words are on Steve’s lips, the offer to be Bucky’s conscience just until it gets easier, but he bites them back with some effort. If he offers, there’s a good chance that Bucky will be in the wind, because the entire point is to figure out who he is as a person again.

 

Bucky glances at him, a smile tugging at his lips. “Looks like you’ve done some growing up yourself.”

 

“Maybe so,” Steve replies. “I’m trying.”

 

“You know—I’m a ticking time bomb. Somebody comes along with the right trigger, and you’re going to be fucked.”

 

“You’ll be safe enough here for now,” Steve insists. “Besides, everybody at this compound signed up to be here. If there’s a place for you to go berserk, this would be it.” He looks over. “I’m glad you’re here, Buck.”

 

“’Til the end of the line,” Bucky murmurs. “Always.”

 

~~~~~

 

Tony is flying a nuke into a rip in space, the fact of his death so evident that it squeezes out the fear in that one moment.

 

 _Let go,_ a little voice whispers. _Save yourself_.

 

“No,” Tony grits out. It’s all the people—innocent and not—who will die. It’s Bruce and Jennifer, and maybe Pepper, maybe the rest of the Avengers, but it’s also a city he loves razed to the ground because someone pushed the wrong button. Because someone got stupid-scared.

 

Tony angles up even farther, aiming directly for that rip in the sky. He’s not coming back from this, he knows. His suit isn’t built to go into space. He’ll be stuck on the other side, or he’ll fall, and it will be terminal.

 

_Why shouldn’t you let them just die? What if serves a larger purpose?_

 

“Fuck that noise,” Tony mutters, and puts on a little bit of speed.

 

And then he’s falling again. This time, the darkness isn’t merciful, and he’s aware all the way down. He’s aware and bracing for the crash, but the impact isn’t as hard as he expects.

 

It knocks the wind out of him, and then he’s flat on the ground, and the Hulk is roaring in his face.

 

The dream spins away from him then, before he can catch his breath, and then he’s standing in that room, with the spinning lights. He sees himself say, “Compliance will be rewarded,” and he says, “No, it fucking will not.”

 

Tony grabs his double, stripping away wires and tubes and who knows what else, and he shakes him by the shoulders. “Fuck compliance, you idiot! You’re throwing everything away for some Nazi fuckheads and the chance not to feel like shit!”

 

But the eyes that stare back at him are empty, soulless, and Tony stumbles back. “Fine, then stay here. I’m getting out.”

 

He runs through the halls, and he doesn’t see anybody. He steps out onto grass, into sunlight, and then he slows, realizing he’s at the edge of a smoking crater.

 

Tony looks around wildly. “Is anyone here? Hello?”

 

He doesn’t understand, but then he sees a blackened sign. With a shaking hand, Tony brushes away the soot to reveal green paint and white reflective letters.

 

_Navarro, population 1,835_

 

And Tony thinks he might have been too late after all.

 

He rolls over, beginning to retch, and suddenly realizes that it’s not grass under his hands and knees, but tile. Someone shoves a wastebasket under his head, and he loses everything he’s eaten for the last week.

 

The wastebasket moves away, and strong hands pull him up and against a solid chest. “There you are,” Bruce murmurs in his ear. “There you are.”

 

Tony shivers, trying to hold in the sounds threatening to escape, animal sounds.

 

“Are you sure he’s back?” Jennifer asks.

 

“He’s not a good enough actor to fake this,” Bruce replies. “And yes, I told you I thought the breakthrough would happen today. Go on. We’ll need something light. Toast, tea, broth, something like that. I’ve got him.”

 

Tony lets the quiet, assured words sooth him slightly, until he thinks of that crater again and whimpers.

 

“It’s okay, Tony,” Bruce says. “We caught it in time, remember? I thought—I figured out that visual would be the one to completely break the trigger.”

 

“I could have.” He doesn’t recognize the sound of his own voice. “You were right, Bruce, I enjoyed some of it. I enjoyed fooling everybody.”

 

“No, Hydra used aspects of your personality—normal, good pieces of you—and twisted them to their own ends,” Bruce murmurs in his ear. “We’re okay.”

 

“I hurt Jen and Sam,” Tony protests. “I would have—”

 

“You built the very thing I needed to bring you back to me,” Bruce counters. “You warned me, remember? You said you didn’t know what kind of triggers Hydra left behind.”

 

He makes a sound negating that, but Bruce just runs a hand through his sweaty hair. “Tony, I just need you to breathe for me. You’re going to eat a little bit, and get cleaned up, and then you’re going to sleep.”

 

Tony tries to pull back. “Right, I’m sorry, I—”

 

“With me,” Bruce says. “Frankly, I’m not sure what the effects of that combination of drugs and treatment will have long term, and I’d like to stick close to you until we’re sure you’re out of the woods.”

 

Tony finally meets his eyes, alarmed.

 

“I don’t think any of Hydra’s triggers are left in there, but I’d be surprised if you didn’t have nightmares,” Bruce replies, a half-smile tilting his lips. “And I haven’t had a decent night’s sleep in weeks, so I’ll be right there with you.”

 

Tony blinks. “You have a beard.”

 

Bruce laughs, but it sounds a little wet. “You just noticed that?”

 

“Is this like an angst beard?” Tony asks, feeling a little steadier now that he’s actually looking at Bruce, and Bruce is looking back at him with the same, familiar mixture of fondness and exasperation.

 

“This is an ‘I don’t have time to shave because I’m saving my husband and maybe the world’ beard,” Bruce replies. “You would make an excellent supervillain, although I wish I didn’t know that.”

 

Tony looks away again. “God, Bruce, I’m sorry.”

 

“Okay,” Bruce says. “I don’t think you need to apologize to me, but I’ll give you that one. When you’re feeling a little steadier, when we’ve had some sleep, we’ll come up with a plan to fucking decimate Hydra.”

 

Tony remembers Bruce saying that—he’s going to burn Hydra down, root and branch.

 

“I am so on board with that,” Tony replies.


	4. Chapter 4

Jennifer bustles into the kitchen. Maybe she can’t make much more than grilled cheese and whatever comes out of a box, but she can manage toast and broth. She had interacted enough with evil-Tony to know that Bruce is right, that they’ve broken through the conditioning. Whether it’s a permanent breakthrough or a temporary one is hard to say, but for right now, Tony is back.

 

She wants to sag in relief, but there isn’t time for that now.

 

Jennifer is hunting for the bread, when a voice says, “Are you looking for something?”

 

“The bread,” she says distractedly, then realizes that it’s Barnes, and that’s probably more words than he’s said to her since his rescue. She turns to look at him. “Do you know where it is?”

 

“Wilson put it in the freezer,” Barnes replies. “He says it stays fresher that way.” He follows it up by fishing around in the freezer. “Does it matter what kind?”

 

“I don’t think so,” Jennifer replies. “I’m making toast for Tony. And I need broth, too. Can you make toast?”

 

“It’s one of the few things I can make,” Barnes replies. “Is Stark back?”

 

Jennifer nods. “Bruce thinks so, and he—well, Tony seemed pretty broken up. I don’t think he could fake a reaction like that.”

 

“Then it worked?” Barnes asks, putting a couple of slices of bread in the toaster.

 

Jennifer realizes what this news probably means to him. “I’m sure Bruce will figure out how to fix you as soon as Tony’s more himself. I mean, not that you need to be _fixed_ , but you know, I’m sure he’ll be able to get Hydra out of your head. I mean, it’s _Bruce_ , although you probably don’t know Bruce, not like we do.”

 

Jennifer stops. “I’m babbling.”

 

“You seem relieved,” Barnes says.

 

“Tony is like a brother, and him being evil just didn’t make a lot of sense,” Jennifer explains. “You know, that’s not really who he is.”

 

Barnes gives her a silent look.

 

“Yeah, you probably know better than I do,” Jennifer says. “Sorry. I mean, it’s not like someone has to tell you how much Hydra sucks, and here I am doing just that, so I’m sorry.”

 

His lips quirk. “It’s fine. At least you aren’t looking at me like I could snap at any moment.”

 

“Are you? I mean, do you think you’re going to snap?” Jennifer asks curiously.

 

Barnes shrugs. “Not here. From the little I remember, it takes more than what triggered Stark.”

 

Jennifer frowns. “I wonder if their methods got more sophisticated, or if maybe they wanted to prevent anybody else from triggering you.”

 

Barnes shrugs. “Hard to say.”

 

“Well, maybe we’ll figure it out—if you want to,” Jennifer says. “I mean, maybe you don’t want to know.”

 

“I don’t,” Barnes says shortly.

 

“Of course,” Jennifer replies. “I don’t blame you.”

 

Barnes shrugs. “Not like I can really leave here anyway, not without going back into hiding, and Steve would just hunt me down again.”

 

Jennifer frowns. “But why—” She stops. “Oh. Right.”

 

He hitches a shoulder. “Better than I expected, really.”

 

Jennifer immediately begins thinking about how she could go about getting him exonerated, or at least pardoned. Which makes her think about Bruce, and what she would have done if they’d taken custody of him, or if anybody found out about what Tony did under Hydra’s influence. There are other people who might be persecuted as well, who could lash out when they discover powers they aren’t entirely in control of yet.

 

Jennifer could help those people. She could help Barnes, in a way that no one else on the team can. It’s not something she’s really thought about much, at least not since their lawsuit against the Army got dismissed.

 

But Jennifer misses being a lawyer, and maybe this could be her niche. She’ll have to give it careful consideration.

 

“Thanks for your help,” she says, realizing that she has the toast and the broth, and some water, and she needs to get back to Tony and Bruce. “And if I can help you, I will.”

 

Barnes blinks. “You don’t have to stick your neck out for me.”

 

“Sure I do!” Jennifer says cheerfully. “That’s what I do.”

 

She takes the tray, gives Barnes a bright smile, and heads back to the lab where she’d left Bruce and Tony.

 

“Thanks, Jen,” Bruce says, taking the tray from her as soon as she enters. “I think I’ve got it from here.”

 

Jennifer nods. “Holler if that changes. You know I’ll do whatever I can.”

 

She doesn’t mind the dismissal; she has plans to make.

 

~~~~~

 

Tony nibbles at the toast and sips the broth, and Bruce watches like a hawk to make sure he eats and drinks enough to at least help replace the fluids he lost. Tony is calm but subdued, and he doesn’t say much.

 

Bruce is fine with that for right now. Tony has a lot to process.

 

Once the toast and broth are mostly gone, and Bruce has chivvied Tony into drinking a glass of water, he ushers Tony to their shared quarters. He locks the door behind them, not wanting to risk being disturbed.

 

There’s an en suite bathroom, and Bruce ushers Tony to the shower because he definitely needs one.

 

Bruce strips him out of his clothes, and does the same for himself, figuring that Tony could use the care and the gentle touches.

 

Tony groans under his touch. “Bruce, I’m sorry.”

 

“You already apologized,” Bruce says roughly. “I’m sorry I didn’t notice sooner.”

 

“You weren’t supposed to,” Tony replies. “I _liked_ keeping you in the dark.”

 

Bruce presses his lips to Tony’s forehead. “That’s not your fault. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying a challenge.”

 

“I hurt Jennifer and Sam,” Tony points out.

 

Bruce scowls. “Hydra hurt them. They hurt _you_.”

 

Hydra doesn’t know what kind of war they’ve courted. Now that he has Tony back, he can focus on destroying the organization.

 

There are ways to kill a hydra. Bruce is going to learn _every single one_.

 

Tony leans his forehead against Bruce’s and doesn’t respond. Bruce gets him under the hot water, and he gets them both clean. Tony melts under his touch, and Bruce puts a hand on his cock, finding him half-hard. “Are you interested?”

 

“I want your hand on me,” Tony says. “It’s been too long.”

 

“It has been,” Bruce agrees, pumping his hand a couple of times, feeling Tony harden under his hand.

 

“You, too,” Tony says hoarsely. “Please.”

 

Bruce takes them both in hand, and they lean against each other as Bruce brings them both off. Since they’re in the shower, it’s easy enough to get clean and they finish up quickly.

 

Bruce has clean clothing for both of them, and Tony pulls on a pair of boxer briefs and track suit bottoms before climbing into bed. Bruce sticks with the briefs, and curls up next to Tony, sheltering him. He doesn’t mind when Tony falls apart in his arms again.

 

Bruce wakes up when he hears Tony begin to whimper, and he murmurs reassurances, not touching him yet in case Tony reacts violently. “It’s me,” Bruce says. “You’re safe. I’m here.”

 

Tony rolls over, pressing his face into Bruce’s chest, and it doesn’t appear as though he’s fully awake. “Bruce.”

 

“That’s right,” Bruce says, soothingly. “Go back to sleep. You’re safe, and yourself again, and it’s going to be fine.”

 

Tony had been strong and kind and careful with him; Bruce can do no less.

 

He falls back into a restless sleep, waking several times when Tony stirs. Bruce manages to soothe him back to sleep each time, but when the sun rises, Bruce is more than ready to get out of bed, in spite of his exhaustion.

 

Bruce runs a hand through Tony’s hair, kissing his forehead.

 

“Hm?” Tony rumbles sleepily.

 

“I’m going to make breakfast,” Bruce murmurs. “Sleep as long as you like. You know where to find me.”

 

“I’ll get up,” Tony protests.

 

“Sleep,” Bruce urges. “I don’t think you have for far too long.”

 

“I’d rather be with you.”

 

Bruce smiles. “And I want to cook breakfast.”

 

“I can watch you cook,” Tony offers. “If there’s coffee. I want coffee.”

 

“Put a shirt on,” Bruce advises. “But I’ll make you coffee if that’s what you want.”

 

Tony actually rolls out of bed and grabs the nearest t-shirt, which happens to belong to Bruce.

 

“Put something on your feet, too,” Bruce orders, handing Tony some thick socks.

 

The fact that Tony doesn’t even offer up a half-hearted complaint tells Bruce just where his mind is at.

 

But that’s fine. Tony will probably get irritated with any kind of enforced rest in a day or two. Right now, he’s struggling, and that’s fine, too.

 

He stumbles after Bruce in stocking feet, and Bruce puts an arm around his waist. “You okay?”

 

“Tired as fuck,” Tony admits. “But if I’m with you, then I know it’s not a dream.”

 

Bruce pauses them both, putting his hands on either side of Tony’s face. “It’s not a dream.”

 

“I want to believe you,” Tony replies. “But I can’t.”

 

“That’s fine,” Bruce says calmly. “I’ll keep telling you that as many times as you need to believe it.”

 

“I might need you to say it a lot,” Tony replies.

 

Bruce kisses him. “Okay.”

 

“I don’t deserve you,” Tony replies.

 

Bruce laughs. “Well, I’ve felt the same way on multiple occasions, so I guess turnabout is fair play.”

 

Tony presses his forehead against Bruce’s. “I think I really need coffee.”

 

“That can be arranged,” Bruce replies. “What do you want for breakfast?”

 

“I really like that hash brown casserole,” Tony replies. “Is that possible?”

 

“Let’s see what we have available,” Bruce says.

 

There’s a kitchen that the Avengers use that no one else comes into except by express invitation, and Bruce goes through the freezer, fridge and cabinets. He doesn’t have everything he needs to make a casserole, but he has the basics—potatoes, onions, bacon, eggs, milk, cheese, and a few other odds and ends. For Tony, he can make something amazing.

 

He makes coffee first, and pours them both a mug, and then he starts grating potatoes.

 

It’s soothing to be back in the kitchen, to have Tony drinking coffee and watching him sleepily. Bruce drops the grated potatoes into cold water and begins chopping onions.

 

“Hey.”

 

Tony startles badly, and he would have sloshed his coffee over the counter if his cup wasn’t more than half empty.

 

Bruce glares at Steve. “A little noise next time, please.”

 

“Sorry.” Steve doesn’t look sorry at all, and Barnes is looking around with curiosity. “Can I help?”

 

“You can grate the cheese,” Bruce replies. “I don’t think I’ve been formally introduced to your friend, though.”

 

“Bruce, Bucky. Bucky, Bruce,” Steve says. “You finally get to experience the wonder that is Bruce’s cooking.”

 

Barnes’ lips curve in a smile. “I hope it’s not disappointing.”

 

Tony bristles on Bruce’s behalf. “It’s Bruce’s hash brown casserole.”

 

Barnes’ eyebrows go up, and Steve says, “Tony does have a point. It’s pretty great.”

 

“I’m working with what I have, so it might not be as good,” Bruce warns them.

 

“I’m sure it will be amazing,” Steve says, clapping Bruce on the shoulder. “It’s good to have you back.”

 

“It’s good to be back,” Bruce admits.

 

Steve wraps an arm around his shoulders and pulls him in for a hug, and then he does the same for Tony, who squawks in protest but hugs back hard. “It’s good to have you back, too.”

 

Tony makes a wounded sound—involuntary, Bruce is sure—and Steve pulls back. “You’re going to be fine,” he says, in his self-assured, Captain America way, but Tony doesn’t scoff. To Bruce—and probably to Tony—it sounds like a promise, like something they can take to the bank.

 

“Thanks,” Tony finally says, his voice thick. “You should probably help Bruce.”

 

Steve takes the suggestion and starts grating cheese. “Sam and I have been the ones cooking, but it’s not the same,” he complains. “I don’t know how you do it.”

 

“Lots of practice,” Bruce replies, but he’s pleased at the praise. “Bucky, how are you with a knife?”

 

Barnes blinks at him. “Good?”

 

“There’s a cantaloupe in there. You can cut it up,” Bruce says, making it more of a suggestion than an order.

 

Bucky starts laughing, to everyone’s bemusement.

 

“What?” Steve finally asks.

 

“It’s just, _Hulks_.”

 

Bruce exchanges a somewhat alarmed look with Steve, who shrugs, but Tony starts chuckling, too.

 

“What?” Bruce asks, figuring that Tony will at least explain.

 

Tony grins helplessly. “You and Jen have the exact same tone when you’re ordering people around.”

 

Bruce frowns. “What tone is that?”

 

“The one where you make it sound like it should really have been the other person’s idea if they were only smart enough to see it,” Steve says, beginning to grin as well. “Perfectly reasonably, like you couldn’t rip someone limb from limb if they said no.”

 

“I’m not going to dismember your friend just because he doesn’t want to help cut up a cantaloupe!” Bruce says, feigning exasperation, but Tony is laughing so hard now he’s not going to give up the pretense of anger.

 

“But you could,” Steve says.

 

“That’s not the point,” Bruce says firmly, and refills Tony’s mug. “And keep in mind that I can also withhold my cooking any time I feel like it, too.”

 

Barnes snorts.

 

“What?” Bruce asks.

 

Barnes looks at Steve, and there’s a whole conversation going on that Bruce isn’t privy to, and then Steve starts to chuckle. “You’re not wrong.”

 

“I’m going to ban all of you from my kitchen,” Bruce threatens.

 

“It’s just that Steve’s mom was—she was awesome,” Barnes says wistfully. “Fierce and a fucking force of nature, and I just…”

 

He trails off, and Steve looks at him fondly, and Bruce figures that’s probably a high compliment coming from the two of them. “Then Steve can grate the cheese, and Barnes can cut the cantaloupe,” he says. “Tony, I think you should probably make another pot of coffee.”

 

Tony smiles at him, the shadows banned from his eyes for right now. “I’d be happy to.”

 

~~~~~

 

Jennifer enters the kitchen and finds a scene of perfect domesticity. Barnes is scraping cut melon into a bowl, and Bruce is putting a couple of pans worth of casserole into the oven, the smell of bacon in the air.

 

Tony is sipping from a mug of coffee with Steve, and they look almost cozy. Barnes pours a cup of coffee for himself, and then catches sight of Jennifer. He lifts the pot in a silent question.

 

“Yes, please,” Jennifer says to the unspoken question, and makes sure that Tony can see her before she hugs him tightly. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”

 

Tony hangs on just a little tighter than usual. “Thanks.”

 

Jennifer kisses his cheek, glad to see that he’s looking a little more like himself.

 

When Natasha enters a few minutes later, she doesn’t hug Tony, but she does put a hand on his forearm. “You’re okay.” She makes it a statement of fact, rather than a question, and Tony’s lips quirk into a smile.

 

“I will be,” Tony says.

 

Natasha nods.

 

Their small, strange family is nearly complete a few minutes later when Clint shows up, breathless. “Sorry, sorry, I had a sick kid.” And then he stops. “Hey, Tony. Glad you’re doing better.”

 

Tony raises his eyebrows. “Seriously? That’s what you’re going with? You finally drop the news that you’re married with kids, and that’s all we get?”

 

Clint glances around. “You all knew?”

 

“Well, I didn’t,” Barnes says dryly.

 

“I think we need pictures,” Jennifer says firmly. “At least for the kids. I’m sure your wife is very attractive, but I don’t swing that way. Do you need babysitting services?”

 

Clint blinks. “You like kids?”

 

“Sure,” Jennifer replies. “I also like to hand them back to their parents at the end of the evening.”

 

Clint laughs. “Yeah, okay. I’ll let Laura know, but that would be great. Pretty sure we wouldn’t have to worry about them breaking you, or anybody getting to them. Usually Nat’s the one who babysits.”

 

“Are we going to talk about how Clint had a secret family?” Tony asks. “Because I think we should probably talk about that.”

 

“About how my family would be in danger if anybody knew about them, and I’m never quite sure who to trust?” Clint asks.

 

Everybody in the room winces, and Clint seems to immediately realize that he’s put his foot in his mouth. “Oh, fuck.”

 

“No, that’s fair,” Tony says faintly. He clears his throat. “Where’s Wilson?”

 

Clint is still grimacing apologetically, and Bruce is glaring at him, but refraining from saying anything, and Jennifer says, “He had a veteran in crisis last night, and spent most of the night talking to them. He was still sleeping when I left him.”

 

“Not sleeping,” Sam says from the doorway, swinging himself into the kitchen on crutches. “I need coffee, though.” Barnes pours Sam a cup, too, since he’s closest to the coffee pot. “Thanks, man. Tony, glad to see you’re okay.”

 

Jennifer wonders if they keep telling Tony that he’s okay, if that will make it be okay, or if Tony will just end up _pretending_ he’s okay until he falls apart.

 

“Tony is doing better,” Bruce says firmly. “Sit down, Sam. Breakfast should be ready in about thirty.”

 

Clearly, Bruce is on top of things, including Tony’s mental health.

 

Clint pulls out his phone and starts showing off pictures of his kids, who are adorable, and his wife, who’s gorgeous. There’s a lightness to the atmosphere that’s been missing for a while, and even Clint’s earlier faux pas is forgotten. Granted, Tony is a lot quieter than he would normally be, and Bruce hovers just over his shoulder, but it’s better.

 

When the casseroles come out of the oven, it reminds Jennifer of that morning after they got Tony back, when they thought everything was going to be okay.

 

And it was, for a time. Jennifer hopes that they don’t have another problem like Tony getting an evil alter ego courtesy of Hydra any time soon.

 

“Oh, my god,” Jennifer says on her first bite. “ _This is even better than usual_. What did you do?”

 

Bruce smiles. “I improvised.”

 

“You should do that all the time,” Clint says, equally enthusiastic. “Shit, Bruce, I think this is the best thing I’ve ever had in my mouth.”

 

There are snickers from around the table.

 

“I won’t tell your wife you said that,” Bruce teases.

 

Barnes and Steve’s mouths are too full to say anything, but given how fast they’re eating, Jennifer figures that’s a compliment.

 

Considering that Thor is off world right now, the fact that they make it through all but a small section of the second pan is impressive.

 

“I think we might need three pans if Thor is ever here for breakfast,” Jennifer jokes.

 

They all laugh, but mostly because it’s true.

 

“I’d like to talk to you,” Bruce says quietly to Barnes.

 

“Since you cooked, we can clean up,” Clint says, and he claps Tony on the shoulder as he passes with an armful of dirty dishes. “Good to have you back, man.”

 

“Do you mind if Tony is present?” Bruce asks.

 

Barnes shrugs. “No. If anybody knows what it’s like, it’s him.”

 

Steve appears a little wounded by that, and Bruce’s eyes flick towards him. “Do you want Steve there?”

 

Barnes glances at Steve, too. “Yeah.”

 

“Okay, let’s go to my lab,” Bruce says. “We’ll talk.”

 

Jennifer decides to pitch in and help clean up as Tony, Barnes, and Steve follow Bruce out of the kitchen.

 

Sam hesitates. “Do you want me to help?”

 

“Sit,” Jennifer insists. “We’ll take care of it.”

 

Dirty dishes are easy, they’re simple, and Jennifer likes simple sometimes.

 

But when everything is clean and the others have cleared out, Jennifer is left with Sam, who levels her with a look. “You okay?”

 

“I’m relieved,” Jennifer replies, and she feels the tears gathering. “Fuck, I’m sorry.”

 

“It was fucking traumatic, so don’t go there,” Sam says, and Jennifer falls into his arms. She hadn’t planned on coming to count on him, but she has.

 

~~~~~

 

Tony keeps looking at Bruce, because if Bruce is there and acting normally, then Tony is himself. Bruce keeps a hand on Tony, as though to reassure them both.

 

They sit down in Bruce’s lab, Tony close enough to Bruce to touch, and Barnes and Steve across from them. Barnes’ arms are crossed tightly across his chest, and Steve’s hands are in fists, resting on his thighs.

 

Bruce clears his throat, his expression gentle. “I can’t get Hydra out of Sergeant Barnes’ head, not like I did with Tony.”

 

Steve immediately bristles. “Why not?”

 

Bruce doesn’t take offense, although Tony gets a little tense. “Because the trigger is layered. When Hydra got to Tony, they didn’t have that much time. They used his personality; they didn’t create a new one. They had a lot more time with Sergeant Barnes.”

 

Barnes is nodding, like he expects the news, but Steve frowns. “But you can’t fix it?”

 

“Not with what I have right now,” Bruce says, still gentle. “I can keep working on it. But I don’t know when I’m going to have an answer for you. It might be a few days, it could be a few weeks, but it could be a few years, too.”

 

“There isn’t anybody else you can ask?” Steve demands.

 

Bruce shrugs. “There are a couple of avenues that I can check out, but—”

 

“And that’s it?” Steve asks. “You’re just giving up?”

 

Bruce frowns. “That’s not what I said.” His temper is starting to fray, Tony can tell. “There’s—”

 

“You worked hard enough to get Tony back,” Steve mutters.

 

“Fuck off,” Tony snaps.

 

Barnes gives Steve a look. “I want to hear what Dr. Banner has to say. He said he couldn’t fix me; he didn’t say it couldn’t be fixed.”

 

Bruce blows out a breath. “There’s another option. Wanda Maximoff offered to help Tony, but—”

 

“You don’t trust her with Tony, but you’d trust her with Bucky,” Steve says, his jaw set in a familiar, stubborn line.

 

“Steve, shut the fuck up,” Barnes says. “Doc, I’m listening.”

 

Tony glares at Steve, feeling more like himself by the second. Being irritated with Steve is pretty much second nature.

 

“She has a vendetta against Tony, but she also hates Hydra,” Bruce says with exaggerated patience. “Sergeant Barnes was hurt by Hydra, and she doesn’t know him. She doesn’t have anything against him.”

 

“And there isn’t another option?” Steve demands.

 

“If you’d let me finish,” Bruce begins.

 

Barnes holds up a hand. “I’m listening. Steve, seriously, shut the fuck up. I want to hear my options without you jumping all over him.”

 

“I don’t know if Wanda Maximoff will be able to help,” Bruce says. “There’s another option, but it’s going to take time to get it figured out.”

 

“What’s the other option?” Steve asks.

 

“It’s a fairy tale, like the island of Atlantis,” Bruce snaps. “I don’t even know if it’s real, or if they’d be able to help if it is. Wanda is the best possible option for a speedy resolution at the moment, but there are no guarantees. There were no guarantees with Tony’s treatment either.”

 

“I want to try,” Barnes says quietly. “I want Hydra out of my head.”

 

“I’ll let Coulson know,” Bruce replies. “I’m not sure we want to bring them here, but we’ll find an appropriate place for the attempt.”

 

Steve makes a noise in protest. “You don’t trust them!”

 

“I don’t trust them with Tony, or with anybody who’s too connected with Tony or Stark Industries,” Bruce counters. “If I didn’t trust them with your friend, I wouldn’t even be bringing it up, Steve. You think I don’t want Hydra out of his head? I do, because I swore I’d end Hydra, and I can’t do that until we have Sergeant Barnes squared away.”

 

Bruce’s tone is fierce, uncompromising, and Tony watches as Steve slumps. “I’m sorry. I trust your judgment,” he says. “I do. It’s just—”

 

“I get it,” Bruce says more gently. “Of course I get it. We’re all a little on edge right now.”

 

“I’m going to do it,” Barnes says. “Come on, Steve.”

 

Tony clears his throat. He knows that Barnes killed his parents, but he has a different perspective now. “If you—if you want me to look at your arm, if it’s not working right or whatever…”

 

He trails off, uncertain of how to end that offer, but Barnes glances over his shoulder. “Hydra gave me this arm. I don’t want it anymore.” He pauses. “I’m sorry.”

 

Tony stares at the floor. “Thanks.”

 

They leave, and Bruce wraps an arm around Tony’s shoulders. “That was well done.”

 

“I understand better now,” Tony chokes out. “I don’t—I could have—”

 

Bruce shushes him. “I know, but you didn’t. We got off lucky, all things considered.”

 

Tony hates that he feels this weak. He hates how he feels raw, like an exposed nerve, and can’t hold it together. He’s survived so many things—torture and threats of death and captivity and nearly losing Bruce—but this feels different. He can’t even be sure of his own mind.

 

Bruce doesn’t hold it against him, though. He holds Tony tightly, and cards his fingers through Tony’s hair, and he doesn’t say a word about it.

 

“What do you want to do?” Bruce finally asks. “I need to call Coulson, but we could go back to bed, or—”

 

“I want to do science,” Tony says a little desperately. “Nothing to do with the Avengers, though. Something dumb. Something that doesn’t mean anything.”

 

Bruce smiles. “That can be arranged. I have an idea for a portable medical facility for areas without electricity or running water, but I’ve run up against a couple of issues.”

 

To Tony, that sounds about perfect. “Yeah. That sounds good.”

 

He listens to Bruce’s side of the conversation when he calls Coulson, and Bruce says, “Yeah, I think that makes the most sense, too. I’ll let them know.”

 

“We’re going to them, or Steve is,” Bruce says in reply to Tony’s inquiring look. “I don’t think I want to be around them yet.”

 

“Then you shouldn’t be,” Tony says. “There’s no sense taking that risk.”

 

Bruce shrugs. “Well, I don’t really want them around Jennifer either.”

 

“So, send Natasha,” Tony advises. “She’ll keep an eye on them.”

 

Bruce nods. “I suppose so. You don’t think I’m a coward?”

 

“I think you have every reason to not risk the people you care about most, and we’re your favorites,” Tony says, trying to joke about it.

 

“You are my favorites,” Bruce replies easily. “And no, I don’t want to risk you or Jen. Natasha could probably take out an entire army by herself, so she’s a good option.”

 

Tony wants to be reassuring, but he’s tired, and he doesn’t know what to say. “Can we work on that project?”

 

Bruce gives him a sharp look. “Sure. I have a vague sort of plan.”

 

“Great,” Tony says. “Something completely different.”

 

The challenge of creating a mobile medical unit like the one Bruce envisions occupies them until midafternoon, when Tony begins yawning. He’s still exhausted.

 

“Go take a nap,” Bruce advises fondly.

 

“What about you?” Tony counters.

 

“I think I’m going for a walk,” Bruce replies. “Don’t worry about me.”

 

Tony frowns. “Are you sure?”

 

“More than,” Bruce replies.

 

Tony wants to press, but he’s too tired. The best he can say is, “I love you.”

 

That seems to be good enough, because Bruce replies, “I love you, too.”

 

~~~~~

 

Jennifer has been keeping an eye out for Bruce and Tony, and she watches as they leave Bruce’s lab and split up with a kiss. Tony heads in the direction of their quarters, but Bruce stops in the hallway, his shoulders sagging.

 

She swoops in. “Come on. You need some fresh air.”

 

“I’m fine,” Bruce says, the response sounding automatic.

 

“Sure you are,” Jennifer says soothingly. “That doesn’t mean you don’t need fresh air. What’s up with Barnes?”

 

That question distracts Bruce enough to allow her to steer him outside. “I suggested letting Wanda Maximoff do the honors.”

 

“Because she doesn’t have anything against Barnes and Steve?” Jennifer asks.

 

Bruce smiles briefly. “Exactly. Steve didn’t seem to get that.”

 

“Well, Steve feels about Barnes the same that you feel about Tony,” Jennifer replies. “He should trust you.”

 

“He obviously does, because he’s going to meet up with them soon, I think with Natasha,” Bruce replies. “I know you could handle it, but I didn’t want to risk you.”

 

“Fair,” Jennifer says easily. She’s not anxious to see Wanda Maximoff again, and Bruce has been stretched to the breaking point. He doesn’t need something else to worry about. “I don’t really want to see her either, so we’re agreed on that.”

 

“Okay, good,” Bruce says, sounding distracted. “I should—”

 

“Get some air,” Jennifer finishes smoothly. “Come on.”

 

“I should—”

 

“Get some air,” she repeats. “I’m not going to take no for an answer,” she says, tucking her arm through his. “Let’s go. You need a break.”

 

Bruce doesn’t argue, and Jennifer tugs him outside towards the outdoor track the SHIELD agents have set up. They’ve kept things mowed, and there’s a clear dirt track where people have run circles around the field. Some enterprising soul has put a park bench out on the far side of the track, set under a lone tree that’s been allowed to stand apart from the wooded perimeter.

 

The track is deserted this afternoon, which is good, because it means they don’t have an audience. “We should go running soon,” Jennifer says, guiding Bruce over to the bench. “Running around in circles can be soothing under the right circumstances.”

 

“I don’t have my running shoes on right now, but I would join you,” Bruce says, attempting a joke, but it falls flat.

 

“Right now, we’re sitting,” Jennifer says, sitting down on the bench and pulling Bruce along with her. “So, sit. Tell me how you’re doing.”

 

“I’m fine,” he says automatically.

 

Jennifer glares at him. “Try again.”

 

Bruce shakes his head. “Jen—”

 

“You don’t have to be strong right now,” Jennifer counters. “It’s me, and you’re run ragged, and you need to let it out.”

 

She doesn’t give him a choice, pulling him close, so that he’s sitting sidewise on the bench, and Bruce presses his face into her shoulder. He shakes, but he doesn’t cry, which is a little disconcerting, but whatever Bruce needs, she’ll give him.

 

Jennifer holds him tightly and combs her fingers through his hair, and she waits for Bruce to pull himself together.

 

It takes awhile. She doesn’t mind.

 

When Bruce pulls back, his eyes are dry but red, and he manages a real smile. “Thanks. I did need the breathing room.”

 

“What do you need from me?” Jennifer asks.

 

“Just exactly what you gave me,” Bruce replies.

 

She raises her eyebrows. “I thought you might like some help destroying Hydra. I’ve been putting some ideas together.”

 

“I will gratefully accept any and all help you can offer,” Bruce replies. “We’ll have to move quickly. Once they know that we have Tony back, and they can’t subvert us, they might try another tack.”

 

Jennifer hasn’t been idle while Bruce has been working on fixing Tony. She knows that they need to strike quickly and hard. “I have some ideas, some of which we can start on right away.”

 

Bruce runs a hand through his hair. “It’s not just for revenge, Jen, and it’s not about cutting Hydra off at the root. It’s about keeping Tony safe.”

 

Jennifer frowns. “You fixed him.”

 

“I made it easier for him to override the programming,” Bruce counters. “But that doesn’t mean the trigger isn’t still there. The right set of circumstances? We could lose him again, and the thing is, we have no way of knowing for sure without trying to trigger the programming.”

 

That’s alarming, and definitely not what Jennifer wants to hear. “So there’s still a chance we could wind up with evil-Tony on our hands?”

 

“There’s a small chance,” Bruce admits. “And a lot of uncertainty. I haven’t said anything to Tony or the rest of the team yet.”

 

“Don’t tell Tony,” Jennifer replies. “He doesn’t need to know, and there isn’t anything he can do. I don’t think you should tell the others either.”

 

Bruce sighs. “You don’t think they have a right to know? I called Steve pretty hard on keeping secrets after the thing with Barnes.”

 

“That was a fact, not speculation,” Jennifer counters. “He knew Barnes killed the Starks, and he knew the information would upset Tony. Right now, we have Tony back. You found a way to break through the programming. We’ll keep an eye on him, and if he starts acting weird, we’ll address it then.”

 

Bruce shrugs. “Okay, fair enough.”

 

“Come on,” Jennifer says. “I’ve been working on a plan of my own. We can compare notes and go from there.”

 

~~~~~

 

Pepper breathes a sigh of relief when she hears Bruce’s voice on the other end of the phone. She had a message from Jennifer right after the procedure worked, but hasn’t heard directly from Bruce or Tony yet. “How is he?”

 

“Pretty much back to normal,” Bruce says, sounding weary. “Here, you can talk to him.”

 

“Hey, Pepper,” Tony says, sounding subdued but otherwise like himself. “I hope I didn’t fuck things up too badly for you.”

 

“You didn’t,” she replies with a smile, leaning back in her chair, looking out over the skyline of New York. “Nothing that can’t be fixed.” She hesitates to ask, but ventures, “Any idea on Jarvis?”

 

“We’re working on it,” Tony replies. “I have to figure out what I did under Hydra’s influence and then undo it. Once that’s done, Bruce has some other plans for how to take care of Hydra. At least after Wanda Maximoff roots Hydra out of Barnes’ head.”

 

“When is that taking place?” she asks.

 

“Tomorrow, I think,” Tony replies. “They left this morning to meet Coulson at a base or some other location.”

 

“Did anybody go with them?”

 

“Natasha tagged along, just in case,” Tony replies. “Bruce doesn’t want to be anywhere near Wanda, and he didn’t trust them with me or Jen either.”

 

Pepper hums. “Well, Wanda seemed relatively contrite, but I don’t blame Bruce for being cautious. How are you feeling?”

 

“Like shit,” Tony says bluntly. “I can’t believe I let Hydra do that.”

 

“You didn’t _let_ Hydra do anything,” Pepper snaps. “You were kidnapped and brainwashed, and that is _not your fault._ ”

 

There’s a pause, and then Tony says, “You sound pretty sure of yourself.”

 

His tone is light, and she can hear the smile in his voice now, and that was what she’d been going for. “That’s because I’m right,” Pepper replies. “And you know it.”

 

“I’m working on it,” Tony says. “I should go.”

 

“Take care of yourself and Bruce,” she replies.

 

She decides to call Phil next. She wants the scoop on the Maximoffs and how that’s all going to work. “Pepper,” Phil says, sounding relieved. “It’s good to hear your voice.”

 

“How are things on your end?” Pepper asks, amused at his harried tone.

 

“The children are squabbling,” Phil replies with asperity. “Skye is feeling threatened, and the Maximoffs aren’t doing anything to make that easier.”

 

“I think Tony and Bruce are going to work on Jarvis,” Pepper offers. “Maybe Skye needs to get away.”

 

“I could suggest that, and she would think I’m trying to get rid of her,” Phil says sourly.

 

Pepper laughs. “Oh, ye of little faith. It’s going to be her decision after Bruce calls and asks very nicely for her help. The chance for her to get to look under the hood, and work with the two of them?”

 

“You might be on to something,” Phil replies. “It will have to be at her request, though.”

 

“Leave that to us,” Pepper replies. “Is there anything else I can do for you?”

 

“You could come visit,” Phil suggests. “I don’t think I can get away, but I’d really like to see you.”

 

Pepper is not above being flattered, and Phil has rarely invited her into his space in the past. “You don’t mind?”

 

“I would love to see you,” Phil replies. “And you can see how things are going for yourself.”

 

The invitation makes her smile, but she’s unwilling to commit just yet. “I’ll have to check my calendar.”

 

Phil chuckles. “Let me know. The door is open, and I’m not planning on traveling for the next couple of weeks.”

 

“I’ll do that,” Pepper replies, and then begins to compose an email to Bruce, figuring she can get him to do the inviting. Everything she’s heard says that Skye has a lot of respect for him, and will come when he calls.

 

Given Tony’s current state, another programmer might be helpful, and she thinks Bruce will agree.

 

And maybe she can help Phil out at the same time.

 

Bruce calls her about an hour later. “Is there an ulterior motive?”

 

“And if there was?”

 

“Is Phil treating you well?” Bruce asks. “Because if it’s a favor to you, I’m more than happy to do it. I mean, I like Skye, she’s great, and she’s been a lot of help in the past, and we could use her.”

 

“Then ask her as a favor to me,” Pepper replies. She figures that if Bruce asks Skye to join them, she has a much greater chance of enjoying her time with Phil.

 

Bruce laughs, and Pepper knows she’s not fooling him. “Okay, I’ll extend the invitation. Enjoy your time with Phil.”

 

“I will,” she says primly.

 

He chuckles again, a warm, fuzzy sound, and he sounds genuinely happy. “Talk to you soon, Pep.”

 

“You, too,” Bruce replies.

 

Pepper sends a text to Phil. _We might be on._

 

A few hours later, Phil responds, _You’re magic._

 

_Glad you’ve finally realized that. I’ll see you in a few days._

 

Pepper grins. She has a plan.

 

~~~~~

 

Tony isn’t back to normal, no matter how hard he pretends. Bruce keeps an eye on him, watching for cracks in his façade, and sees him rubbing his eyes and forehead as he tries to concentrate on finding problems in Jarvis’ code.

 

“What’s wrong?” Bruce asks.

 

Tony sighs. “I’m not—I know I’m a genius, but this is…”

 

He trails off, and Bruce thinks he knows what Tony means. “Evil-you was doing things with code that you’d never considered?”

 

“Yeah, that,” Tony says. “It’s code within code, and I can’t fucking remember what I was thinking at the time.”

 

“That might be for the best,” Bruce points out. “If you don’t remember—”

 

“I remember!” Tony snaps. “I remember everything! I just can’t—I can’t—”

 

“Take a breath,” Bruce says, maintaining his calm with the long practice he’d learned, watching as Fitz slips out of the lab, clearly deciding that retreat is the better part of valor. “You don’t have to figure it out right this second.”

 

“I’m sorry,” Tony says miserably. “I shouldn’t snap at you.”

 

Bruce puts his hands on either side of Tony’s face. “I love you.”

 

“Bruce—”

 

“ _I love you_ ,” Bruce repeats. “You can snap if you need to.”

 

Tony closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. “Okay. I love you, too.”

 

“Skye is going to help us,” Bruce says. “She should be here in a few hours.”

 

Tony frowns. “We could handle it.”

 

“We _could_ , but I think she’s having problems with the Maximoffs, and Pepper wants some time with Phil,” Bruce replies. “She asked me to invite Skye here as a favor to her.”

 

Tony raises his eyebrows, looking a little more at ease. “She’s getting it on with Agent again?”

 

“That seems to be the idea,” Bruce replies. “I think she felt it was more of a sure thing if Skye and the Maximoffs were separated. Since they need Wanda Maximoff for Barnes, I requested Skye’s presence.”

 

“I trust you,” Tony says. “If you think she can help, I believe it.”

 

Bruce shrugs. “Maybe she helps, maybe she doesn’t, but Pepper deserves a chance at some quiet time with Phil. And Skye is a brilliant hacker in her own right. She helped quite a bit when Hydra had you.”

 

He refuses to dance around the issue, and while Tony takes a deep breath, he also nods. “Good. We could use her.”

 

Tony continues to pick apart the code while Bruce works on other projects and keeps an eye on him. Tony is uncharacteristically quiet, and there’s no music, but Bruce files it away with the rest of his worry.

 

He’s accepted that he’ll probably be worried about Tony for the rest of his life.

 

Jennifer brings Skye by a couple of hours later, and Skye offers a hesitant smile. “Hey, guys. Thanks for inviting me.”

 

“I’m hoping you can help,” Bruce replies. “How are the Maximoffs getting along?”

 

Skye pulls a face. “Pietro is an asshole, and Wanda creeps me out.”

 

“Oh?” Tony asks, his interest clearly piqued.

 

“Pietro kept hitting on Skye,” Fitz replies. “And Skye would probably have punched him in the face, except Wanda was staring at her, and it was all a bit awkward.”

 

“Awkward isn’t the word I’d use,” Skye mutters.

 

Bruce frowns. “Did you tell Phil?”

 

“No, because they need the Maximoffs right now to fix Barnes,” Skye replies. “If Pietro does it again, I’ll kick his ass.”

 

“You would have to catch him first,” Fitz points out.

 

Skye sighs. “You would have to remind me.”

 

Their banter clearly amuses Tony, who says, “Shall we get started?”

 

“Definitely,” Skye replies.

 

“Can I help with anything?” Fitz asks.

 

“I could use your assistance,” Bruce replies.

 

The afternoon passes quietly, and Bruce can tell that Tony and Skye work well together, and Skye is adept at distinguishing between the code that should be present, and the code that Tony put in while Hydra had him under control.

 

“How can you tell?” Tony asks.

 

“Your coding is just a little different when you’re being evil,” Skye replies. “It’s hard to explain, but I can tell.”

 

Tony’s fingers fly as he fixes the code that Skye identifies. “Well, it’s helpful.”

 

Bruce recruits Fitz to help him with dinner, and Sam and Jennifer drop in as well. “What have you two been up to?” Bruce asks.

 

“Training,” Jennifer replies. “Sam was helping me with my target practice. Can we help?”

 

“You can chop vegetables,” Bruce replies. “We’re having curry.”

 

Fitz grins. “I love a good curry.”

 

It feels good to be cooking again, like their lives are about as normal as they ever are, and soon enough, Bruce sends Jennifer to collect Tony and Skye for dinner. “And don’t let them tell you there’s no time. They can pause long enough to eat.”

 

“Don’t take no for an answer, got it,” Jennifer replies. “Be right back.”

 

Somewhat to Bruce’s surprise, Tony actually shows up, and he has a smile on his face. “Nearly there,” he announces. “Jarvis should be back online tonight.”

 

“That’s a relief,” Bruce replies. “Jen, you want to work on our part after dinner?”

 

Jennifer nods. “Of course. How soon before we can pull the trigger?”

 

“We’ll have to wait until we’re sure Barnes is out of the woods,” Bruce replies.

 

“What are you planning to do?” Tony asks.

 

“We’ve identified a few of the major players in Hydra,” Jennifer replies. “That’s who we were after when our mission was sabotaged.”

 

Tony grimaces. “I’m sorry about that.”

 

“Not your fault,” Jennifer says quickly. “But that means we have been able to identify people who are involved in Hydra, and we’re working on a way to expose them all at once, and use their connections to expose the others.”

 

“We’ll need Matty’s help, but we plan to shine a spotlight on them all,” Bruce adds. “They won’t have anywhere left to hide, and with Hydra being branded a terrorist organization, they won’t get far.”

 

“Name them and shame them, huh?” Sam asks. “I like the idea, but do you think they’ll retaliate?”

 

Bruce shrugs. “Let them try. I’m ready to take them on.”

 

“You’re so hot when you get fierce like that,” Tony says fondly, but with obvious interest that causes Bruce to flush.

 

“Not in front of the children,” Bruce says mildly.

 

“Oh, I don’t mind,” Skye says cheerfully. “It’s nice to know that being married doesn’t kill the romance.”

 

“Bruce offered to burn Hydra down for me,” Tony says.

 

Bruce clears off his plate with the last bite of his naan bread. “It was a little bit for me, too. I’m getting tired of dealing with them.”

 

The understatement is deliberate; Bruce doesn’t plan on telling anyone other than Jennifer about his continued worry for Tony, or the possibility that Hydra’s trigger could still be there.

 

“Then it’s definitely true love,” Fitz jokes. “Jemma never offered to burn Hydra down for me.”

 

Tony immediately seizes upon that comment. “You and Simmons, huh? When did that happen?”

 

“A few months ago,” Fitz replies. “We’re taking it slowly.”

 

“That’s good,” Bruce replies. “I’m happy for you.”

 

“They’re super adorable, too,” Skye teases. “Even May thinks so.”

 

“She does not!” Fitz protests.

 

Skye held up her thumb and forefinger, separated by less than an inch. “Little bit.”

 

The joking is lighthearted, filled with real affection, and Bruce is glad to see that Fitz is doing so well, and has a friend.

 

“Should we call Matty?” Jennifer asks.

 

Bruce hesitates. “Yeah, probably.”

 

“I may have promised Aaron that he and a friend could visit,” Jennifer adds. “And maybe it’s not a good time, but—”

 

“No, Matty can bring Aaron,” Bruce says immediately. “And a friend. Aaron and Matty will be safe here, just in case they try to retaliate.”

 

Jennifer hesitates. “Could we send the Quinjet?”

 

Bruce raises his eyebrows. “What happened with Aaron?”

 

“We intercepted Aaron and his friend bringing Tony food when we showed up to take him in,” Jennifer replies. “I didn’t think to mention it before because we were kinda busy.”

 

Bruce glances at Tony. “You up for visitors?”

 

“I like Aaron,” Tony replies. “And I guess I can be thankful that I didn’t manage to hurt either of them.”

 

“They don’t have to know what happened,” Bruce says. “If you’re worried about that. We’re pretty sure we kept things under wraps.”

 

Tony shrugs. “We’ll just tell them I was dealing with some fallout from my kidnapping. They’ll probably assume PTSD, which isn’t far from the truth.”

 

There’s a sour note to Tony’s voice, and Bruce reaches out to grab his wrist. “Tony. Don’t do that to yourself. We don’t do what we do and not come out with a few scars.”

 

Tony manages a smile. “I know. I hear you.”

 

“Good,” Bruce says. He imagines that he’ll have to say that a few times before it sinks in, but he’s willing to repeat himself as often as necessary. Tony has done the same for him.

 

~~~~~

 

“Okay, I think that takes care of it,” Tony announces. It’s well past midnight, and Bruce is asleep on the couch, having already sent Fitz off to bed. “Let’s bring Jarvis back online.”

 

Skye perks up at that, sipping a cup of coffee. “You know, I never really got a chance to meet Jarvis.”

 

“Well, hopefully you’re in for a treat,” Tony replies and types in the command to bring Jarvis back online.

 

“My profuse apologies, sir,” Jarvis says immediately. “I should have found a way to notify Dr. Banner at least.”

 

“We both were used,” Tony says. “Can you give me anything, J?”

 

There’s a pause. “I believe there might be a problem, sir.”

 

“Let me have it,” Tony replies.

 

“Someone duplicated important parts of my code, but they disabled the mechanism to alert you to that duplication,” Jarvis says, sounding about as ashamed as an AI could.

 

Tony sighs. “Not your fault, J. I don’t think it’s mine either.” He’s not sure how long it’s going to take to actually believe that, but he’s going to work on it. “Any idea why?”

 

“I believe they may have been trying to create an AI like myself but obedient to their needs,” Jarvis replies.

 

Tony feels a frisson of fear, remembering Ultron. He doesn’t really want to face another killer AI. “Any way to track it?”

 

“No, it was part of my code that you altered.”

 

“Well, shit,” Tony mutters.

 

“Never fear,” Skye says. “I made a copy of the code you removed.”

 

Tony glances at her. “Really?”

 

“Know your enemy,” Skye points out. “Although, in this case it’s Hydra acting through you, so I’m not sure what we’ll glean, but at least we can review it.”

 

Tony glances at the time. “We can review it tomorrow. You should get some sleep. Are you up for sticking around for a few days?”

 

“I’ll stick around as long as the Maximoffs are on the base,” Skye replies. “They suck.”

 

“I think Bruce agrees with you,” Tony replies. “I should get him up so he doesn’t wake up in pain tomorrow.”

 

Skye nods. “Then I’ll grab some sleep. Thanks for letting me help out with this. It’s a real honor.”

 

Tony gives her a hopeful look. “Are you sure I can’t poach you for our team?”

 

She laughs. “I’m not _that_ pissed off at Coulson.”

 

“Keep my number handy,” Tony advises. “Maybe you’ll need it.”

 

“Maybe you’ll need mine again,” Skye counters with a cheeky grin.

 

Tony shrugs. “Maybe I will.”

 

She gives him a jaunty salute as she leaves, and Tony goes over to shake Bruce awake. His eyes blink open, and he frowns at Tony. “What?”

 

“We’re done for the night,” Tony replies. “You want to come to bed? If you sleep on the couch, your back isn’t going to thank you tomorrow.”

 

Bruce scrubs his hands over his face. “Yeah. Thanks. Jarvis is back?”

 

“At your service, Dr. Banner,” Jarvis replies.

 

“It’s good to hear your voice,” Bruce says. “Where’s Skye?”

 

“I sent her to bed,” Tony replies, and decides not to mention the thing about the copied code, not right now. “Which is where we should be heading.”

 

Bruce yawns widely. “Yeah, I’m coming.”

 

“That could be on the table,” Tony offers.

 

“I really would love to take you up on that offer, but I think I need to sleep first,” Bruce says apologetically.

 

“Rain check for tomorrow, then,” Tony says, kissing him. “Thank you.”

 

“For what?” Bruce asks.

 

Tony smiles. “For being you.”

 

“In that case, you’re welcome,” Bruce replies.

 

Tony somehow sleeps that night, although the fact that Bruce is wrapped around him like a weighted blanket probably helps. Bruce’s presence means Tony is safe and secure, and when Tony wakes the next morning, he can feel Bruce’s morning wood.

 

Tony gently disentangles himself and then dives down under the blanket, freeing Bruce’s cock and swallowing him down.

 

Above him, Bruce makes a choked off sound, and then says, “Tony—oh, god.”

 

He clumsily pats Tony’s head but doesn’t do more than that, knowing better than to hold him down. Tony pulls out all the stops, wanting to show Bruce just how much he appreciates him and everything he’s done.

 

The warning comes a few minutes later. “Tony—I’m gonna—”

 

He sucks harder, and Bruce comes hard. “Oh, fuck.”

 

Tony pulls off, satisfied. “Better?”

 

“I missed you,” Bruce says, and as hoarse as he sounds, Tony would think he was the one sucking dick.

 

Tony crawls up the bed to pull him close. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry I freaked you out.”

 

“You’re not the one who should be sorry,” Bruce replies. “I’m just glad you’re back with me now.”

 

“You’re worried about the future,” Tony says flatly. “You’re worried Hydra could do it again.”

 

“It’s crossed my mind,” Bruce admits.

 

Tony kisses his bare shoulder. “I’m not going to promise anything, because I know I can’t, but I believe you when you say you’re going to raze Hydra.”

 

“I guess we have to hope that’s enough,” Bruce replies. “So, when were you going to tell me that someone copied Jarvis’ code?”

 

“Today,” Tony says, “and I thought you were asleep.”

 

“That’s about when I woke up,” Bruce admits. “I wasn’t sure I actually heard it.”

 

Tony sighs. “Skye saved the code, so maybe we can track them down.”

 

“You will,” Bruce says. “Nobody knows code like you.”

 

“Skye could give me a run for my money,” Tony counters.

 

Bruce laughs. “That’s because her sole focus for a lot of years was hacking. You were becoming an expert in a lot of things.”

 

“The benefits of being a specialist,” Tony says.

 

“You’re talking to the man with 7 Ph.D.’s,” Bruce replies.

 

“That’s really excessive,” Tony replies. “I’ve never said that before, but that is completely ridiculous.”

 

“It was a fuck you to my dad,” Bruce says quietly. “He hated me. He’d tell me I’d never amount to anything, but I’m pretty sure that’s because he knew I would. So I went a little overboard in the degree department. And I technically doubled up a couple of times.”

 

Tony snorts. “Don’t front. Every dissertation built on the last.”

 

Bruce laughs. “Yeah, well, there was that, too.”

 

“Do you think this is going to work?” Tony asks.

 

Bruce sighs. “I don’t know, but it’s the plan I have. Other than putting a price on all their heads, I’ve got nothing.”

 

“Then that’s what we’ve got,” Tony replies. “But assassination is not off the table.”

 

“No, it’s not,” Bruce agrees. “Can I return the favor?”

 

“I’m good,” Tony replies.

 

Bruce frowns. “You okay?”

 

“Very okay,” Tony insists. “But I really wanted to make you feel good.”

 

“Mission accomplished,” Bruce says. “I missed you so fucking much, Tony. Don’t do that to me again.”

 

“I’ll do my damnedest,” Tony promises.

 

They grab a quick bite, and then Tony works on tracking the code someone stole from him. Skye joins them about an hour later with a ready apology. “Sorry, sorry, I overslept.”

 

“Don’t worry about it,” Tony says easily. “Just help me track down who stole the code.”

 

Skye cracks her knuckles. “On it.”

 

Tony drums his fingers on the worktable and considers their options. He’ll let Skye work on tracing it electronically, but he’s going to try another tack.

 

Because an AI is going to require certain resources, and Tony thinks he can track it that way, the low-tech way.

 

~~~~~

 

Jennifer decides to meet Matty and the Quinjet herself, mostly because she wants to see the look on Peter’s face when he sees everything for the first time.

 

Sue her, she has a soft spot for kids that remind her of puppies.

 

Matty leads the way off the Quinjet, with Peter following close on his heels, and Jennifer isn’t disappointed. Peter looks around with awestruck eyes, his mouth open. Aaron ambles behind them, appearing both amused and alert.

 

Jennifer doesn’t think he’s been to the compound before, but he’s been around the Avengers enough that he’s unfazed. He’s come a long way from the sullen kid who had first shown up at Tony’s New Year party.

 

“How are you doing?” Matty asks her.

 

“Good,” Jennifer replies brightly. “I’m glad you guys could make it. What did you tell your aunt, Peter?”

 

Peter startles. “Oh! Uh, I told her the truth, that Aaron recommended me for the Stark internship, and I was invited to meet Mr. Stark and Dr. Banner.”

 

“Always best to go with the truth,” Jennifer agrees. “Well, welcome. I’ll give you guys the nickel tour, but I will ask you and Aaron to stick to non-restricted areas.”

 

Aaron nods. “Of course. I’ll keep him out of trouble.”

 

“Keep yourself out of trouble, too,” Jennifer teases. “How are the college applications coming?”

 

Aaron blushes. “I actually got early acceptance into both MIT and Stanford. I’m just glad that I got the recommendations from Bruce and Tony before they went MIA.”

 

“They always take care of their people,” Jennifer replies. “And there were extenuating circumstances.”

 

“There usually are,” Aaron replies.

 

“Which is probably part of what we’re here to talk about,” Matty inserts smoothly. “Later. When you two aren’t around.”

 

“Cold, bro,” Aaron says with a grin.

 

Matty slings an arm around his neck. “Very cold. Tell you what, when you work for SI, and have signed a nondisclosure agreement, you can be party to all of the conversations. Or, hey, you could follow me into PR and join me as my partner.”

 

“I’m completely down with making Tony and Bruce, and the rest of the Avengers look good, but I’d rather help them save the world with science,” Aaron says. “Right, Peter?”

 

“Uh,” Peter looks between Aaron and Matty. “Both are good?”

 

Matty puts an arm around Peter’s shoulders, too. “I know your heart belongs to science, Peter. No hard feelings.”

 

“Come on, let’s do the tour,” Jennifer says. She leads them around the areas deemed safe enough for Peter and Aaron, but Peter seems awed by everything, from the quarters to the training rooms, to everything in between.

 

“I think Bruce is cooking tonight,” Jennifer says as they approach Bruce’s lab.

 

Aaron grins. “Oh, awesome!”

 

“Dr. Banner cooks, too?” Peter asks. “And they, I mean, I can—”

 

“You are invited,” Jennifer says, taking pity on him. “Specifically. But you might have to help wash up after.”

 

“That’s fine,” Peter says immediately. “I’ll even help cook—but I don’t really know how. My aunt isn’t that great in the kitchen. I mean, we eat out a lot. Not that there’s anything wrong with that!”

 

Jennifer laughs. “Peter, never change.” She leads the way into Bruce’s lab, and sees Bruce and Tony with their heads bent over a hologram. “Hey, guys.”

 

The hologram disappears, and Bruce glances up with a smile. “Aaron, I hear congratulations are in order.”

 

Aaron’s eyes widen. “Who told you?”

 

“Your brother is very proud of you,” Bruce replies. “And you must be Peter.”

 

Peter flushes. “It’s great, I mean it’s really—what I mean is it’s an honor, Dr. Banner.”

 

“Call me Bruce,” he replies. “And this is Tony.”

 

Peter is having a hard time even speaking when Tony smiles and sticks his hand out. “Aaron tells us good things,” Tony says.

 

“I—yes, I hope so, I would love this job, so—”

 

“You have it,” Tony says, patting Peter on the shoulder. “Aaron vouches for you, and we trust him.”

 

Peter goes speechless for a solid minute and then begins to babble. “Thank you! Thank you for this opportunity, it’s amazing, and you guys are amazing, and—”

 

Aaron puts a hand over Peter’s mouth. “He’s really happy, obviously. So, is there an easy mode for the training room? Because that would be cool.”

 

“There is an easy mode, and there is a SHIELD agent waiting outside for you to get you where you need to go,” Bruce replies. “Not that we don’t trust you guys, but there are security issues to consider.”

 

“No worries, doc,” Aaron says easily, his hand still over Peter’s mouth. “We’re going to have some fun. Happy world domination.”

 

Bruce and Tony both laugh, probably a little harder than the joke calls for, but they’re allowed. “Have fun, guys. Dinner is going to be lasagna. I hope you don’t mind.”

 

“We love lasagna,” Aaron says. “Especially when it involves garlic bread.”

 

“Now that the little pitchers are gone, what’s up?” Matty asks.

 

“We have a way to take down Hydra, I think,” Bruce replies. “Jen and I do.”

 

Matty frowns. “That’s awesome, but I’m not sure why I needed to be here for that.”

 

“Because we’re not going after them as the Avengers, or in a military sense,” Jennifer says. “We’re exposing them for who they are in the court of public opinion. We’re shining a light on them.”

 

Matty blinks. “You’re going to need proof. Incontrovertible proof.”

 

“We have it,” Bruce says. “We’ve been working on this nonstop, and Tony isn’t going to be safe—Barnes isn’t going to be safe—until Hydra is gone.”

 

Matty rubs his eyes. “Okay, fair enough. Let’s go over what you have, but at the end of the day, I don’t think this can come from you, Bruce, or the Avengers. I think it has to come from Jennifer.”

 

“Why me?” Jennifer asks.

 

Matty ticks off the reasons on his fingers. “You’re an attorney, you’re known for being a pit-bull in the courtroom, they came after your family, and when you’re green, you’re not the same threat that the Hulk is. I don’t think we want anybody knowing just how dangerous Bruce is.”

 

“People know I’m the Hulk,” Bruce objects.

 

Matty shakes his head. “There’s a difference between knowing and _knowing_ , Bruce. When you appear with Tony, you tend to fade into the background. You look like an absentminded professor, and that’s what people assume you are. They don’t know that you’re probably the most dangerous of any of the Avengers, and I think you want to keep it that way.”

 

Bruce shrugs. “I do.”

 

“You agree with Matty?” Jennifer asks.

 

Bruce smiles wryly. “He’s not wrong. I’m dangerous for the same reasons Tony is, but I’m doubly dangerous.”

 

“It would work better if the public doesn’t put those two things together,” Matty adds. “Just like no one needs to know just how close Tony came to blowing the arc reactor in Navarro.”

 

“I didn’t realize you knew about that,” Tony mumbles.

 

Matty gives him a sharp look. “Pepper told me in case it got out. I needed to be able to spin it, and I needed to be out ahead of it to do so. That’s part of my job.”

 

“Do you have a way of spinning it?” Bruce asks.

 

Matty grimaces. “Not really, so let’s hope it doesn’t get out. If it does, I think we have to come clean, and that could prove devastating to everything we’ve been trying to accomplish.”

 

Jennifer nods. “Got it. So, shall we go over the evidence?”

 

She feels like she’s standing on solid ground.

 

~~~~~

 

Pepper crosses her arms over her chest, standing next to Phil in the observation area. Both Phil and Steve deemed the danger posed by Barnes—if Wanda triggers him, inadvertent or not—too great to not have him restrained. So, Barnes is strapped to a chair, wrists and ankles, looking grim.

 

Although, based on the little Pepper has seen so far, Barnes always looks grim.

 

“This will not be easy,” Wanda says.

 

Barnes glares at her but doesn’t respond otherwise.

 

“He knows,” Steve says. “Just get on with it.”

 

“What is she going to do?” Pepper murmurs to Phil.

 

Phil shrugs. “Near as I can tell, she’s going to go into his brain and remove the triggers with magic, or whatever it is that she does.”

 

“Which is why Bruce didn’t want to risk her anywhere near Tony’s head,” Pepper comments.

 

“That’s my understanding as well, yes,” Phil agrees. “Since she doesn’t know Sergeant Barnes, and has no animosity towards him, she was considered the best option. The same can’t be said for Tony.”

 

Pepper watches as Wanda’s eyes glow red, and Barnes arches in his chair, rigid. She doesn’t really know what she’s seeing, good or bad, but Steve straightens from his slouched position, looking like he wants to intervene.

 

In spite of the seriousness of the situation, Pepper smirks slightly. She and Jemma have a wager on when they’ll finally act on their rather obvious feelings for each other.

 

Wanda frowns, and Barnes groans. Steve takes a half-step closer, and Jemma frowns at the readouts on her screen.

 

Barnes yells something incoherent, and Steve moves closer while Jemma waves him back. “Give them time.”

 

“He’s hurting!” Steve protests.

 

“We knew this would happen!” Jemma snaps. “Stand down, Captain Rogers. His vitals are within the acceptable range.”

 

“Almost there,” Wanda says, and the red in her eyes intensifies.

 

Barnes yells out again, and then slumps in his seat, apparently unconscious.

 

Wanda stumbles back, and Pietro is suddenly by her side. “Come on,” he murmurs. “You should rest.”

 

Steve rushes to Barnes’ side, fumbling for a pulse. “Buck, hey, Buck. Come on, wake up. You’re okay. I’m right here.”

 

Seriously, Pepper is going to win her bet _handily_.

 

“His vitals are stable,” Jemma announces.

 

“Hey,” Barnes murmurs without opening his eyes. “Don’t know what the witch did, but I actually feel pretty good.”

 

Steve clutches Barnes’ hand. “Yeah?”

 

“Yeah, Stevie,” Barnes replies. “I’m okay.”

 

Phil touches her arm. “Maybe we should give them some privacy.”

 

Pepper gives him a look. “I have to leave tomorrow, so that sounds good.”

 

Pepper likes the base better than the jet, mostly because Phil has a regular, full-sized bed with a decent mattress and nice sheets, and they’re making use of them. It’s a nice respite from the drama currently going on.

 

Well, Pepper is well removed from the drama, but it’s certainly stressing Phil out.

 

“I wish you could stay longer,” Phil murmurs.

 

“I have a company to run,” Pepper replies. “But I’ve had a good time.”

 

Phil snorts. “Well, you were the one threatening to make popcorn.”

 

“Oh, I did make popcorn,” Pepper counters. “Jemma and I shared.”

 

Phil laughs. “Why am I not surprised?”

 

“You have to admit the drama has been somewhat entertaining for bystanders,” Pepper says. “Jemma and I have a bet on how long it takes Steve to propose to Sergeant Barnes.”

 

Phil rolls his head to look at her. “You think?”

 

“Oh, I’m certain,” Pepper replies. “So is Jemma. The question is when.”

 

“I thought Captain Rogers was interested in Peggy Carter,” Phil objects.

 

Pepper props herself up on an elbow. “Peggy Carter is an elderly woman now, and beyond Steve’s reach. And Tony was a playboy who mostly went out with women before he met Bruce. There is such a thing as swinging both ways, Phil.”

 

“No doubt,” Phil replies easily. “It’s just that I didn’t get that vibe.”

 

“Probably because you’ve been dealing with the fallout on your team,” Pepper says.

 

“I can’t keep them here,” Phil complains. “They’re a disruptive force. I also can’t exactly let them go, and I don’t think I can lock them up either. I can’t set them loose on the world.”

 

Pepper hums thoughtfully. “Send them back home. Tell them to stay in Sokovia, and put surveillance on them. Yes, they attacked the Avengers, but they entered the US improperly, so deporting them is the simplest solution.”

 

“And if they cause problems again?” Phil asks.

 

“Then you’ll take care of them then,” Pepper replies. “Or send the Avengers to deal with them with prejudice. But they want you to believe they’ve changed, and this way, you don’t have to deal with them while they work to prove that.”

 

Phil sighs. “You make a good point. I’m not sure I really have a choice.”

 

“You don’t,” Pepper replies. “And you don’t have to take on the world’s problems, Phil.”

 

“No, just problems that are within SHIELD’s jurisdiction,” Phil counters with a sigh. “I’ll have May fly you back tomorrow. New York or California?”

 

“New York,” Pepper replies. “I’d like to see Tony for myself.”

 

Phil kisses her bare shoulder. “Thank you for coming and solving my problems.”

 

“It was fun,” Pepper replies.

 

Visiting Phil is a little like a vacation, but she’s ready to go back to work. She’s a little surprised to see Steve and Sergeant Barnes by the Quinjet with Agent May. “Are you guys heading back as well?”

 

“Hydra is out of Buck’s head, and I don’t want to outstay our welcome here,” Steve replies. “Besides, Jen texted me. They’re getting close to releasing the information on Hydra to the media, and we thought we should probably marshal our forces.”

 

“So soon?” Pepper asks.

 

Steve shrugs. “That’s what Jen said. She didn’t say why they’re moving on it now, but I know they were waiting to get Hydra out of Buck’s head.”

 

“I guess they have all the pieces in place,” Barnes comments. “And if it were me, and I were in Dr. Banner’s shoes, I’d burn it down as soon as I could.”

 

When he looks at Steve, it’s clear that Sergeant Barnes would burn the world down for Steve, and Steve feels the same way.

 

And maybe Steve will understand Bruce and Tony a little better now.

 

May drops Pepper off at the Tower because Pepper has a couple of meetings she can’t cancel or reschedule. Barnes and Steve had their heads together the entire flight. Pepper couldn’t hear what they were saying, but she’s seen intimate exchanges before, and that had been as intimate as anything she’s seen between Bruce and Tony.

 

She smiles, thinking of Phil, and reminds herself to watch the news.

 

~~~~~

 

Bruce takes a deep breath. The TV is on, but he has the sound off.

 

“I haven’t thanked you yet,” Tony says, putting his hands on Bruce’s shoulders. “You’re doing this for me.”

 

Bruce doesn’t deny it. “I would do a lot for you. I don’t think that’s any surprise.”

 

“This is a little more than that,” Tony counters. “There’s a lot on the line.”

 

“More for Jennifer than for us,” Bruce replies. “She’s staking her reputation on this information.”

 

“It’s solid information,” Tony replies. “We’ve got the goods.”

 

Bruce shakes his head. “Yeah, I know. What do you think of Peter?”

 

“The kid?” Tony asks. “He’s adorable, but I’m concerned about him being able to get any kind of work done around us.”

 

Bruce chuckles. “True enough. I just think—I don’t know. He seems like a really good kid.”

 

“I’m sure he is,” Tony replies. “He lives with his aunt.”

 

“So?”

 

“So, you lived with your aunt,” Tony says, even though Bruce already knows the thrust of the argument. “Maybe you identify with him.”

 

“Maybe I do,” Bruce replies. “But I was never that cute.”

 

Tony snorts. “Jennifer has pictures. I would beg to differ.”

 

Bruce smiles. “Well, we’ll agree to disagree then.”

 

“Matty isn’t going to make the announcement until Monday,” Tony says. “Why are you staring at the news with the sound off?”

 

Bruce shakes his head. “I don’t know. I just—I’m running through the scenarios.”

 

“Well, stop,” Tony says. “I have video of the training session with him and Aaron.”

 

“Is it worth watching?” Bruce asks.

 

Tony shrugs. “You be the judge. There were a couple of interesting points.”

 

The footage is relatively boring. There are assailants, and holographic weapons, and then Peter moves in a certain way. “Wait, what was that?”

 

“I know, right?” Tony says. “Frame by frame, Jarvis.”

 

The frame-by-frame play shows exactly what Bruce thought he saw. Peter’s in Aaron’s blind spot, so it’s no surprise that Aaron didn’t notice, but Peter does a complicated backflip to avoid a projectile that would be impossible for a non-enhanced person.

 

“What do you think?” Bruce asks.

 

“I don’t think we should do anything,” Tony says. “He’s a kid, and he’s here. If he’s enhanced, he’s apparently open to influence. Maybe it’s recent, and he doesn’t know what to do.”

 

Bruce nods. “Okay, then we keep an eye on him.”

 

“I don’t mean that in a bad way,” Tony says. “Just in the sense that maybe we can do some good.”

 

“Agreed,” Bruce says. “We’ll just keep an eye on him.”

 

“He’s totally adorable,” Tony remarks. “Jen wasn’t wrong about that.”

 

Bruce huffs a laugh. “She’s rarely wrong.”

 

“Good thing, because we’re betting on her being right,” Tony replies. “Not that I have any doubts.”

 

Bruce blows out a breath. “Right, okay. Well, staring at this screen isn’t accomplishing anything, and I have some hungry people to feed.”

 

The lasagna had gone over well the previous night, and tonight Bruce is making a big pot of soup, given that they’ve received word Steve and Bucky will be there for dinner.

 

Actually, two pots of soup. They might need that much food, considering how much Peter and Aaron had eaten the night before.

 

“Can I help?” Tony asks.

 

“The restriction on your kitchen activities stands,” Bruce replies. “But I will let you operate the can opener.”

 

“Oh, that’s big of you,” Tony teases.

 

Bruce snorts. “I’m pretty sure you can’t kill yourself or someone else, or set anything on fire with a can opener.”

 

Tony laughs. “You are a hardass.”

 

“When it concerns your safety, absolutely,” Bruce replies.

 

Tony leans in for a kiss. “You’re the best.”

 

“I’m glad you realize that,” Bruce replies.

 

He starts the chili first, to let the flavors meld, and then starts the pot of black bean soup. Tony finishes up his duties, and starts to work on his Stark Pad.

 

Once both pots are simmering, Bruce starts on a couple of large pans of corn bread.

 

Steve enters the kitchen with Barnes close behind. “Hey, guys.”

 

“Hey,” Bruce replies, pouring the batter into a baking pan. “How did things go?”

 

“It worked,” Barnes says quietly. “I know it worked.”

 

Bruce looks at him, and Barnes has a smile on his face for the first time since Bruce has seen him. “Is that right?” Tony asks. “You feel okay?”

 

“I feel great,” Barnes replies. “But considering what I got out of her brain, the doc absolutely made the right choice not to let her near you.”

 

Tony frowns. “What did you pick up?”

 

“The name of Stark causes a lot of anger,” Barnes replies. “Worst moment I had was when she realized I was friends with Howard Stark. She got over it, but I wouldn’t have wanted her in my head if I were you.”

 

“And how much of her going easy on you was because she knew you killed them?” Tony asks, his tone harsh.

 

Bruce opens his mouth to intervene, but thinks better of it.

 

“I’m sorry,” Barnes says immediately. “I can’t tell you how sorry I am. Howard Stark saved my life, and I—I never got to repay him.”

 

Tony opens his mouth, closes it, and then stares at the floor. “Fuck, I—I can’t blame you after—fuck.”

 

“Yeah, pretty much,” Barnes says.

 

And they share a commiserating look that causes Bruce to share a look with Steve that’s frankly disbelieving.

 

But, hell, maybe it’s par for the course. Tony knows what it’s like to be controlled by Hydra, and that trauma is fresher than the loss of his parents, which means that he can focus on his current issues and how it relates to Barnes.

 

Maybe it doesn’t matter. Tony is okay, and Barnes is okay, and maybe that’s enough.

 

~~~~~

 

They head back into the city on Monday morning. Tony is anxious to get back to the Tower, and back into the swing of things. He doesn’t mind staying at the compound, but it’s not truly home, and he wants to feel normal again.

 

Normal is heading up to the Penthouse, and finding Pepper waiting for them. “I ordered food,” she says. “I didn’t want to make Bruce cook.”

 

“Hey, Pep,” Tony says. “I--”

 

“Don’t you even start with the apologies,” she orders, and then flings her arms around him. “I’m just so glad you married a genius who could fix you.”

 

“So am I,” he murmurs. “Thanks for holding down the fort.”

 

“You didn’t even need to ask,” Pepper replies, and then hugs Bruce tightly.

 

The evening is congenial, as Pepper catches Tony up on all the news, and everything that’s been going on with Stark Industries in his absence. When she leaves late that night, he feels like the ground is just that much more solid underneath him.

 

A few days later, as he’s working on additional fail safes for the arc reactor, Tony glances up, not terribly surprised to see Peter hovering behind Aaron. Matty had delivered Peter back to the city on Sunday evening, after they’d finished strategizing, but Peter reminds Tony of a puppy in more than one way.

 

Like any stray, they’ve fed him, and he’s going to keep coming back.

 

“Don’t you guys have school?” Tony asks.

 

Peter starts to stammer an answer, and Aaron throws an arm over his shoulders. “Don’t worry about it,” Aaron says. “First rule about working here is don’t let Tony freak you out. He’s a lot nicer than you think.”

 

“I think he’s really nice!” Peter protests.

 

Aaron gives him a look.

 

“Just maybe not as nice as Dr. Banner,” Peter mumbles.

 

“How right you are,” Tony says. “Why do you think I married him?”

 

Tony is amused, but not surprised. Matty is one of the few outside the team who understands how dangerous Bruce can be. To everyone else, he’s the absent-minded, kind professor who feeds people.

 

“Hashtag relationship goals,” Aaron quips. “Take note, Peter.”

 

“I would have thought you married him for his cooking,” Peter jokes.

 

Tony laughs. “You’re funny. And the fact that he can cook certainly didn’t hurt. But seriously, we’re not fans of playing hooky.”

 

“School was a half-day for teacher planning or something,” Aaron replies. “And academic decathlon wasn’t being held for the same reason. Besides, we wanted to be here for the press conference.”

 

Tony nods. “Fair enough. I don’t think you guys are in any danger, but I want you to be safe, too. Stay aware of your surroundings, don’t exchange friend requests or whatever online if you don’t know them personally, and don’t accept candy from strangers.”

 

Aaron rolls his eyes. “I don’t need another older brother, Tony.”

 

“No, you already have one of those,” Tony agrees. “This is me speaking as Iron Man to a couple of kids I have a vested interest in.”

 

Peter blushes, and Aaron’s smile is sweet. “I knew you cared,” Aaron replies. “So, can we hang?”

 

“Yes, of course,” Tony replies. “Aaron can show you the ropes, Peter.”

 

Peter’s eyes light up. “Then I really have the job?”

 

“You really have the job,” Tony replies. “You’re in, kid. Same deal we had with Aaron, paid at the same rate, with the expectation that you keep your grades up and continue with your extracurriculars. A recommendation from me and Bruce will go a long way, but you still need to present a well-rounded application.”

 

It’s possible that Bruce has coached him through this conversation. A lot. Bruce’s exact words were, “Peter looks up to you, and it will mean more coming from your mouth, so you’re probably going to have this conversation, and this is _exactly what you’re going to say._ ”

 

Peter nods eagerly. “Of course, Mr. Stark.”

 

“Tony, please, or you’ll make me feel old.”

 

“Yes, Mis—uh, Tony.”

 

The word nearly chokes him, and Tony exchanges an amused look with Aaron. “Good. Aaron?”

 

“Got it,” Aaron replies. “Come get us when the press conference starts?”

 

“Sure,” Tony promises. “It’s going to be a couple of hours.”

 

“I’ll get him started,” Aaron replies and pulls Peter away.

 

Tony thinks he might miss Aaron just for his Peter-wrangling abilities. For a lot of other reasons, too, but for that especially.

 

He’s still tracking his stolen code, and Skye has returned to Coulson’s base, but she’s dialed in on the conference line. “How are things going?”

 

She shrugs. “The creepy twins are going to be on the next flight back to Sokovia, or so Coulson says. In the meantime, I’m holed up tracking your code. It’s bought me some space.”

 

“Any progress?”

 

Skye shakes her head. “No, sorry. They covered their tracks pretty well.”

 

“Well, keep trying,” Tony replies. “I’m pursuing my own line of investigation, but no juice so far.”

 

Skye nods. “You’ll know something as soon as I do. Good luck with the press conference.”

 

“I’m not giving it,” Tony replies. “But hopefully this will make our jobs a lot easier.”

 

Skye snorts. “I’ll believe that when I see it.”

 

“I live in hope,” Tony replies. “Thanks, kid.”

 

Skye rolls her eyes. “Sure, old man. You know where to find me if you need me. We don’t have any missions lined up for a couple of days.”

 

Tony smirks. “Keep that up, and maybe I’ll think better of poaching you.”

 

“Like you could,” Skye snarks. “Later.”

 

Tony _really_ wants to poach her. She has skills, and he likes her attitude. He knows Bruce does, too.

 

Tony has his own theories, and now that Jarvis is back on his side, they’re working on the problem in tandem.

 

When five o’clock rolls around, Tony says, “Jarvis, let the boys know it’s starting. Where’s Bruce?”

 

“In the Penthouse, sir,” Jarvis replies. “I believe he’s doing what you would call stress cooking.”

 

“Fair enough,” Tony murmurs. “He’s allowed.”

 

Plus, Bruce tends to feed people when he’s stressed out, which isn’t a bad thing as far as Tony’s concerned.

 

When he enters the Penthouse, he asks, “What’s for dinner?”

 

“A Turkish dish I’m trying out,” Bruce replies. “It might suck.”

 

“It smells good,” Tony replies. “What is it?”

 

“Stuffed eggplant,” Bruce replies. “We’ll see. They were having a late-season sale.”

 

“I’m sure it will be delicious,” Tony says, pressing a kiss to the side of Bruce’s neck. “It’s going to be fine, Bruce.”

 

Bruce sighs. “I believe that, but you can’t blame me for being worried.”

 

“No, I can’t,” Tony admits. “But this is going to work, and Hydra is going down, and we’re going to be fine. Better than fine.”

 

“I really hope you’re right,” Bruce replies. “How are the boys?”

 

“We’re good,” Aaron says. “Can we help?”

 

Bruce smiles. “Not just yet. Everything is still cooking, but you guys can set the table once the press conference is over. Jarvis?”

 

“I have it ready, Dr. Banner,” Jarvis replies.

 

Steve and Barnes enter the Penthouse. “Is it live?”

 

“It is now,” Tony replies as Matty appears on the screen under a “breaking news” alert.

 

“Thank you all for coming today,” Matty says. “You all have your briefing packets, which contains everything you need to write your stories, including all the corroborating evidence that we have available. Ms. Walters will brief you.”

 

Matty leaves the podium, and Jennifer takes his place, dressed in a sharp black suit and a deep green shirt that suits her coloring. It’s also a not-so-subtle reminder that there’s a Hulk living under her skin.

 

“Thank you all for coming today,” Jennifer begins, her voice strong. Tony can tell she’s had experience speaking in front of a crowd, even a hostile one. “As you all know, a couple of years ago, I was instrumental in exposing Hydra’s infiltration of SHIELD. I took the lead on sifting through that information, too, so that the Avengers could respond appropriately. But as you all know, Hydra recently captured Tony.

 

“For me, for the Avengers, Tony Stark isn’t just Iron Man, he’s family, and I took it upon myself to find a way to take Hydra down. The other Avengers helped, and we have put together a list of those associated with this terrorist organization. We have hard proof, and today we are shining a light on them. Hydra says that when one leader is destroyed, two others take their place, but I believe they’ll wither away when exposed to daylight.”

 

Jennifer takes a breath. “What you—the public—does with this information is up to you. But this is Hydra. They were involved with the Nazis. They want to start wars to pad their pockets and gain power. They don’t care about you. But we do. We put our lives on the line to protect you. I’m just saying—these people do not care about you. They serve a master who will ask them to destroy you, and they would do it. But we can change that. We can change the world together. I hope you’ll help us.”

 

Her smile is sharp-edged, her shoulders are back, and her head is held high. Tony is as proud of her as he can be. Judging from the expression on Bruce’s face, he feels the same way.

 

“Ms. Walters! What proof do you have?” one reporter shouts.

 

“It’s in the packets we’ve provided to all of you, and there’s a website for everybody else,” Jennifer replies with poise. “Review the information and judge for yourselves.”

 

“What’s your next step?” another reporter asks.

 

She smiles. “Actually, that’s really exciting. I’m going to be opening my own firm, specializing in issues pertaining to those with special abilities and unusual situations. While I don’t regret the accident that caused me to be able to transform like my cousin, and I will never regret being an Avenger, it has caused some unique challenges. There are others like me out there, and maybe they need my help. I’m excited to forge new paths in the law.”

 

Tony wonders if they’re remembering Bruce’s Senate hearing, where they’d suggested Bruce could be classified as a weapon. Barnes is another person with a shaky legal situation, as are—or were—the Maximoffs.

 

They know there are other enhanced people out there, people the government might seek to use, people who might not always have perfect control of their gifts, but who don’t mean harm.

 

Tony thinks Jen’s idea is a fantastic one, and he’s happy to bankroll her firm until she’s actually making money at it.

 

Assuming, of course, that she does.

 

“Oh, fuck,” Tony says. “I can’t believe I’ve been that stupid.”

 

“I never thought I’d hear you apply that word to yourself,” Steve jokes. “What’s up?”

 

“I should have put Jen on retainer!” Tony exclaims. “For the Avengers. She’s a lawyer. She’s an Avenger. She should be on retainer.”

 

Bruce shrugs. “I didn’t think of it either.”

 

“Well, she just put together a solid legal case against Hydra, and I feel like she should be paid for it, which is what she can tell clients when they come calling,” Tony adds. “But I really should have thought of that ages ago.”

 

“We’ve been a little preoccupied,” Bruce points out. “And also, Jennifer didn’t want to practice corporate law.”

 

Tony shakes his head. “I’m not talking about retaining her for Stark Industries. I’m talking about _the Avengers_.”

 

“Oh,” Bruce says. “Yeah, I have no idea why we didn’t think of that sooner. That does seem dumb.”

 

“Maybe you guys aren’t used to retaining counsel?” Aaron suggests.

 

“Tony’s the head of Stark Industries,” Steve protests.

 

“So?” Aaron asks. “Pepper’s CEO, and Bruce ran instead of trying to enter into a legal fight. Neither of you seem all that interested in lawyers, except for the one that’s related to you.”

 

“Thank you for your stirring defense of our honor,” Tony replies. “It is very much appreciated.”

 

Aaron wrinkles his nose. “You don’t have to patronize me.”

 

“No, I really meant it,” Tony replies. “Especially when you’re doing it around people who would hold it against me.”

 

“I would never,” Steve protests.

 

Barnes shrugs. “I might. You know, if it came up.”

 

“Points for honesty,” Tony admits.

 

“But there are probably things that you guys don’t think about, because you’ve never had to do it either,” Aaron says reasonably. “Like how Matty had to show me how to separate out colors from whites after I turned a bunch of his white shirts pink.

 

Peter giggles. “Seriously?”

 

“How long have you been washing your own laundry?” Aaron asks.

 

Peter shrugs. “I don’t know. Since I could reach the detergent? Aunt May has a lot on her plate, so I do a lot.”

 

“If you want to invite your aunt over for dinner some night, she’d be welcome,” Bruce says. “It might be good for her to meet us, see who you’ll be working with.”

 

Peter blinks. “You’d do that?”

 

“If you were my kid, I’d want that, and since we’re going to make sure you keep your grades up and stay involved in extracurriculars, we should probably stay in touch,” Bruce says mildly. “We did that for Aaron.”

 

Aaron groans. “Oh, my god. You guys were the most overbearing uncles ever.”

 

“And you now have early acceptance into MIT,” Tony points out. “So, something worked.”

 

“You and my brother saw me through,” Aaron says. “And Dr. Banner. Listen to them, Peter. If they say something is a good idea, then it probably is.”

 

Peter nods. “Got it.”

 

“And if you want to work here, you’ll listen to us, and to your aunt,” Bruce says firmly. “And you’ll make sure you can impress everyone with your transcript so references from us are icing on the cake. That’s what you want if you’re thinking scholarships.”

 

Tony knows that Aaron has heard this lecture before, but he figures it’s especially important for Peter to get the message. If he does have enhanced abilities as they suspect, he’s going to be pulled in a lot of different directions.

 

But if there’s anybody who can keep Peter grounded, it’s Bruce, and Bruce will prevent Tony from going overboard.

 

“And maybe, if you’re lucky, you’ll get to help out with secret Avengers’ business,” Aaron says, nudging Peter with his elbow.

 

Peter brightens. “Seriously?”

 

“When we need discreet errands run, we sometimes ask Aaron to help,” Bruce replies diplomatically. “As long as it’s safe to do so.”

 

The elevator doors open and dislodge Jennifer, Natasha, and Clint, who had been providing security, as well as Matty.

 

“You were fantastic,” Tony says. “And you’re now officially on retainer for the Avengers, and I’m sorry I didn’t think of it before.”

 

Jennifer frowns. “Who’s paying?”

 

“I am,” Tony replies.

 

“Then I already was,” Jennifer argues. “You guys basically gave me the keys to the store.”

 

“We’ll formalize the arrangement then,” Bruce says. “And you really did a great job.”

 

Jennifer beams at everybody, obviously tired and pleased. “I thought it went really well, but time will tell.”

 

“How long do you think it will take?” Aaron asks. Judging from the expression on Peter’s face, it’s a question he wanted to ask but didn’t dare.

 

Jennifer shrugs, stepping out of her heels. “Probably weeks, if not months.”

 

“That long?” Aaron asks.

 

“It would be faster if we could just shoot them,” Clint mutters.

 

“But not nearly as clean,” Jennifer points out. “And we have the evidence. They might not go to prison, but they won’t have their power.”

 

“In theory,” Barnes points out. “I think shooting them should stay on the table.”

 

“Not like we can do it now,” Steve says. “They’d know.”

 

Barnes and Natasha both snort. “It’s not that hard to make it look like an accident,” Natasha replies.

 

“Let’s not put ideas into Peter’s head,” Bruce says. “We’re not in the business of assassination.”

 

“I might make an exception for Ross,” Jennifer mumbles.

 

Tony smirks when Bruce’s eyes go a little unfocused, like he’s imagining it. “Let’s not go there,” Tony says. “With any luck, Hydra will go quiet for a while in an attempt to go to ground.”

 

“But we have to wait,” Bruce says. “We have to give it time, and we’ll hope for the best while we prepare for the worst.”

 

That’s pretty much Bruce’s MO, and it’s gotten them by over the years, so Tony doesn’t argue.

 

And he suddenly has a glimmer of a plan for how to deal with the missing code, but he’s pretty sure Bruce is going to _hate_ it.

 

~~~~~

 

Pepper glances up when her assistant sticks her head into the office. “Director Coulson is here to see you, ma’am, if you have the time.”

 

She’s pleasantly surprised, since it’s only been a couple of weeks since she’d been on the base.

 

It’s been an eventful two weeks, though. The news is full of highly influential people losing their jobs, or being arrested. Companies associated with Hydra have seen their stocks drop rapidly; in contrast, Stark Industries’ stock is at an all-time high.

 

“Send him in, Nicole,” Pepper replies.

 

Phil enters, and Pepper gets up to greet him with a kiss. “I’m surprised to see you again so soon.”

 

“I wanted to see how you were holding up,” Phil replies. “There’s a lot going on.”

 

Pepper shrugs. “I’m fine. Stark Industries has never been in better shape.”

 

“I’m not worried about the company,” Phil replies dryly as they sit down on the couch. “I was asking about _you_.”

 

She smiles. “That’s very sweet. While I’m very busy, I’m also very happy. The people I care about are safe and getting safer, and I’m fulfilled.”

 

“And is there room in your life for me?” Phil asks.

 

“I don’t know,” Pepper replies. “That would depend on whether you want to stick around. I understand that there might come a day when I lose you, but I am not okay with you just ghosting me.”

 

“And I promise that will never happen again,” Phil says.

 

Pepper nods. “It better not. You won’t get a second chance.”

 

“I’m grateful for this chance,” Phil replies easily.

 

“So, we’re doing this?” Pepper asks.

 

“I think we’ve been doing this,” Phil counters. “Unless I’ve missed something.”

 

Pepper laughs. “I don’t think we’ve talked about it yet.”

 

“Fair enough,” Phil says. “The Maximoffs are back in Sokovia, by the way. I think they were secretly hoping to stay on, but if I had seriously considered it, I would have lost Skye to the Avengers.”

 

“She’s loyal to you,” Pepper argues.

 

“Loyalty can be pushed too far,” Phil admits. “And she hated Pietro more than words can adequately express.”

 

“From what I understand, she had cause,” Pepper replies, leaning against Phil. “How are Jemma and Leo settling in?”

 

“They seem to be doing well,” Phil replies. “And I’ve gotten word that SHIELD might end up being legitimized again now that they’re wrapping up Hydra.”

 

“You’re going legit again?” Pepper asks.

 

Phil smiles. “Well, with Ms. Walters having exposed all of Hydra, there’s no taint on the remnants of SHIELD. I’ve already spoken to Maria Hill, and she’s going to remain the Avengers’ liaison with SHIELD. We’ll see how many of the agents we can get back into the fold.”

 

“That sounds like a positive development,” Pepper replies. “Are you relieved?”

 

“More than,” Phil admits. “It’s been a long few years, and I have Jennifer to thank for this.”

 

“Jennifer and Bruce,” Pepper replies. “Matty didn’t think Bruce’s name should be attached to the release because it’s better if people underestimate him.”

 

Phil shakes his head. “Well, Hydra certainly did. I think I knew just what Dr. Banner was willing to do for Tony Stark when he tore Obadiah Stane to pieces.”

 

Pepper laughs. “I think I knew when I found out that Bruce spent three months in a cave in Afghanistan with Tony, and still agreed to come home with him.”

 

“True love,” Phil murmurs, and interlaces their fingers. “Do you have time to get dinner with me tonight?”

 

Pepper squeezes his hand. “I would love that.”

 

~~~~~

 

Jennifer glances around her new office, a little stunned at how quickly things had changed. Tony set her up in the Tower, and she’s been fielding phone calls from potential clients for the last week. She hasn’t taken a case yet, but the level of interest seems encouraging.

 

Life is looking up.

 

She’s a little surprised to see Barnes standing in the doorway a few moments later. “Hey, Sergeant Barnes. What can I help you with?”

 

“You can call me Bucky,” he replies. “And Steve said you were the one to go through all the Hydra files and know them better than anybody else.”

 

Jennifer nods. “All of that’s true.”

 

“So, I need to know what I did. All of it,” Bucky replies. “Steve doesn’t want to tell me, but I _need_ to know.”

 

Jennifer gives him a long look. “Close the door and sit down. You’re my first client.”

 

Bucky does as ordered, but he appears confused. “Your client?”

 

“I will give you the information you want, but I’m not going to let you martyr yourself just because you got used by some evil Nazis,” Jennifer replies. “Steve is my friend, and he loves you. I’m going to protect you.”

 

“Maybe I don’t deserve protection,” Bucky counters.

 

She shrugs. “I happen to differ. Everything we discuss is protected under client confidentiality. What do you want to know?”

 

“Everything,” Bucky replies. “I want to make reparations, even if it’s belated.”

 

Jennifer takes a deep breath. “Okay, I can help you with that, but I’m going to act as your attorney, because you don’t deserve to get jammed up for something that isn’t your fault, the same way Tony doesn’t deserve that.”

 

Bucky gives her a long look. “You’re really bossy.”

 

“Of course, I am,” Jennifer replies. “I’m an attorney, and my job is to protect people from themselves when they’re my clients. And since you’re an Avenger, you’re my client.”

 

“I don’t know that I’m an Avenger,” Bucky objects.

 

Jennifer snorts. “Sure you are. Or at least you’re Avenger-adjacent if you don’t want to be a part of the team.”

 

Bucky shrugs. “Okay. It’s a deal.”

 

Jennifer nods. “Then you have to promise me that you’re not going to do something stupid when you leave this office.”

 

“What constitutes stupid?” Bucky asks.

 

Jennifer gives him a thin smile. “Anything I tell you is stupid.”

 

Bucky grins. “Yeah, okay. Got it. I can follow orders.”

 

“Then you’ll be doing better than most of the team,” Jennifer replies. “Because it’s a lot, and it’s going to be hard to hear.”

 

Bucky pulls his shoulders back. “I’m ready.”

 

Jennifer decides to approach the situation like she would any of her clients—with complete honesty. “We’ll go through the whole thing,” she says.

 

She doesn’t have a full list of Bucky’s sins, but she has enough. Enough to know that if anybody puts the pieces together, he’ll be on trial for murder a hundred times over.

 

She can make an argument for diminished capacity, or even insanity, but it’s not like anybody had examined him immediately after the fall of SHIELD. They just have to hope that no one realizes Barnes and the Winter Soldier are one and the same.

 

Or, that no one in a position to use that information against him figures it out.

 

Barnes has been responsible for a lot of deaths over the years, so it takes some time to go through everything she knows.

 

Bucky scrubs his hands over his face. “This sucks.”

 

“Yes, it does, because Hydra sucks,” Jennifer says forcefully. “What do you want to do?”

 

“I want to make amends,” Bucky replies.

 

Jennifer gives that some thought. “Let me consider it. We’ll find a way without putting you at risk.”

 

“Some might say I deserve to be locked up,” Bucky counters.

 

“Some might,” Jennifer agrees. “I’m not one of them, and I’m pretty sure if someone _did_ lock you up, Steve would break you out. Which would then make him a criminal in the eyes of the law, so let’s avoid that, huh?”

 

Bucky ducks his head. “Good point.”

 

“Like I tell a lot of my clients, it’s not just about you,” Jennifer says. “It’s about the people who care about you, too.”

 

“Message received.” Bucky leans forward. “Thanks.”

 

Jennifer summons a reassuring smile. “I’ll pull the rest of the information together for you. I can have it ready tomorrow.”

 

Bucky gets to his feet. “What you did—you and Dr. Banner—to get rid of Hydra—I owe you guys.”

 

“No, you don’t,” Jennifer replies. “I’m happy for you, but honestly, we didn’t do it for you.”

 

Bucky smiles. “Yeah, you did it for Stark.”

 

“Bruce did,” Jennifer says. “I did it because the world is a better place without Hydra in it.”

 

“Even so,” Bucky replies. “I owe you.”

 

Steve pokes his head inside. “Hey, we’ve got training. Jen, you in?”

 

“I’m definitely in,” she replies, because going green always feels good, and she wouldn’t mind letting off some steam.

 

She changes clothes and joins the others in the training room. She appreciates training when there’s no mission planned. It feels more like play than work.

 

Steve is stretching next to Bucky, and Clint is swinging his arms to warm up. “How’s the family?” Jennifer asks him.

 

Clint shrugs. “Good. The kids are doing well in school, and my wife is working part-time. And they all seem happy to have me around more now that Hydra is defunct.”

 

“I’m sure they are happy to have you around,” Steve replies. “Where’s Natasha?”

 

“I’m right here,” Natasha replies, entering the training room. “Exactly on time.”

 

“Early is on time, on time is late—”

 

“And late is unacceptable,” Bucky finishes Steve’s comment. “Loosen up, Steve. It’s training, not a mission behind enemy lines.”

 

Natasha gives Steve a look that indicates how unimpressed she is. “And there are times when being exactly on time is the right call in the field.”

 

“Or we could just get into training now,” Jennifer suggests. “Since Natasha was right on time, and this argument is actually making us late.”

 

“Remove the stick, Cap,” Clint advises. “Better yet, replace it with something else.”

 

Steve frowns. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

 

Jennifer glares at Clint and goes green. “It doesn’t mean anything other than training is fun, and you guys could stop pissing me off any minute now.”

 

“Let it go, Stevie,” Bucky says quietly. “Barton is right. We’ll talk about it later.”

 

Privately, Jennifer thinks Steve is antsy because they don’t have a mission lined up, and without that to focus on, he’s more or less forced to deal with his feelings.

 

Or _not_ deal with them, whatever the case may be.

 

“Let’s not make the green person any angrier,” Natasha says dryly.

 

“Where’s Stark?” Clint asks.

 

Steve grimaces. “He’s not ready to come back, and I’m pretty sure Bruce wanted to smash me when I asked him when he would be ready.”

 

“Can you blame him?” Jennifer asks. “Tony will come back when he’s ready, and you know Bruce isn’t going to let him come back one minute before.”

 

“Let’s get this going,” Steve says.

 

Once the training gets started, everything falls into place, and all tensions fall away. They’re a team, a family, and families have arguments.

 

When they’ve finished up, Bucky throws an arm across Steve’s shoulders. “Come on, Stevie. I think it’s time for us to talk.”

 

“You think that’s going to work?” Clint asks as they leave.

 

Natasha shrugs. “It had better, or we’ll need to find a mission before Steve pisses off the whole team.”

 

Jennifer shares a look with Natasha, agreeing. “Catch you guys later?”

 

“Sure,” Natasha replies. “We should go out for drinks the next time Pepper’s in town. Women only.”

 

“Hey!” Clint protests. “Maybe I want to go out for drinks.”

 

“Maybe you can watch the kids, and Laura can come out with us,” Natasha counters.

 

“I see what this is,” Clint mutters as Jennifer leaves.

 

She takes a shower and collapses back on the bed briefly before she sighs and gets up. She needs to pull the information that Bucky asked for, and she needs to check in on Bruce and Tony.

 

Tony seems to be bouncing back, but she’s worried about Bruce, who hasn’t lost his edgy wariness.

 

She finds them in Tony’s workshop, where Tony is bouncing between screens, and Bruce is watching him with a mix of fondness and concern.

 

“It’s the only loose thread,” Tony says, exasperated. “And I don’t know why I can’t find it!”

 

“Whoever stole the code covered their tracks really well,” Bruce points out. “Not even Skye could trace it. What about that other possibility?”

 

“It was just a thought,” Tony says. “I have all the pieces in place in case it’s necessary.”

 

“Is the code really that important?” Jennifer asks.

 

Tony shrugs. “They stole it, which means they needed it for something. It worries me.”

 

“Could they use it to attack Jarvis again?” Jennifer asks.

 

“I have taken precautions against such an event,” Jarvis replies.

 

“Then all we can do is stay alert,” Bruce says. “Come on. It’s dinner time, and we need to eat. Jen, you want to join us?”

 

“I’d love to,” she says, grateful once again to have Tony back, both for his sake, and for Bruce’s.

 

~~~~~

 

Bruce puts the finishing touches on his recommendations for the greening of Stark Industries and sends the file to Pepper. He owed it to her weeks ago, but with everything that happened, he’d put it on the back burner.

 

He’s getting through a lot of work he’d put off to take care of Tony, while trying to ignore the niggling worry that he can’t seem to shake. He’d come too close to losing Tony, and Bruce doesn’t know how to shake that uneasiness.

 

Peter enters Bruce’s workshop. “Uh, hey, Dr. Banner. Aaron said I should ask if you needed anything.”

 

“I think I’m good for now, thanks,” Bruce replies. “And I told you, call me Bruce. How’s it going today?”

 

“Good,” Peter says. “I, um, I have some biology homework?”

 

“You can work in here if you want,” Bruce offers. “I don’t mind.”

 

Peter nods. “I was hoping to talk to Mr. Stark. I’ve been working on a few things.”

 

Bruce laughs. “You get your biology homework done, and I’ll try to pry Tony away from his current project in an hour or so. Did you talk to your aunt about coming to dinner?”

 

“Yeah, she said it was really nice of you to offer and to let her know what day,” Peter replies.

 

The lights flicker, and then go out. “Dr. Banner?” Peter asks.

 

“Jarvis?” Bruce calls, not bothering to correct him this time. “Where are Tony and the others?”

 

“Mr. Stark is getting into the suit,” Jarvis replies. “No one else is currently in the Tower.”

 

The emergency lighting comes on, and Bruce sees Peter’s scared expression. “What do we do?”

 

“We’re going to find Aaron, and I’m going to make sure you’re both safe,” Bruce replies. “And then we’re going to contain the threat.”

 

Peter hesitates. “I can help.”

 

“Peter, while I don’t know exactly what you can do, I know you have some special abilities,” Bruce replies. “But you’re fifteen, and I’m not putting you in the line of fire.”

 

Peter opens his mouth, probably to protest, and Bruce says, “We don’t have time right now. Jarvis, have you notified the others?”

 

“Captain Rogers and Sergeant Barnes are fifteen minutes out,” Jarvis replies. “Ms. Walters is meeting with a potential client in Greenwich Village. Agents Barton and Romanoff are at his residence and won’t be able to get back for at least an hour.”

 

Bruce sighs. “Where’s Aaron?”

 

“Mr. Stark sent him your way,” Jarvis replies.

 

Bruce isn’t sure that’s the best idea, since he might need to go green, and he’s worried about hurting the kids. “When Aaron gets here, I want you to stick with him.”

 

“I’m not afraid of the Hulk,” Peter replies.

 

“You haven’t seen the other guy yet,” Bruce says grimly. “Tony, what’s your status?”

 

“You remember how I was worried about an AI in an actual body?” Tony asks. “That’s what we’ve got, and they came in through the penthouse. Do you have Aaron yet?”

 

“No, but I have Peter with me,” Bruce replies. “Are you okay?”

 

“Never better, Jolly Green,” Tony says, sounding a little breathless. “Don’t worry about me.”

 

Bruce snorts. “That’s kind of my job, Tony.”

 

“Seriously, I got this,” Tony replies. “Your job is to sit on Peter and Aaron, keep them safe.”

 

Aaron comes skidding into Bruce’s lab. “Hey, doc. You’re okay?”

 

“I’m indestructible,” Bruce points out. “How many?”

 

“Just the one,” Aaron replies.

 

Jarvis says, “Sir, I feel compelled to tell you that Mr. Stark’s suit has failed.”

 

“Tony!” Bruce shouts. “When were you going to tell me?”

 

“Not the time for it,” Tony says. “Where are the others?”

 

“Steve and Barnes are maybe ten minutes out, Jen’s out of reach,” Bruce says. “What can I do?”

 

“Well, the big guy would rip this AI to shreds, but I’m a little concerned that the Penthouse wouldn’t survive,” Tony says.

 

“The Penthouse can be repaired!” Bruce protests.

 

“I want to help,” Peter says again.

 

Bruce points at Peter. “This discussion is done. Peter, you can get Aaron out of the building. That’s how you can help.”

 

“Fuck,” Tony says. “Bruce, I’m hit.”

 

Bruce takes off running, muttering, “I’m going to kill him myself.”

 

~~~~~

 

The first sign of trouble is Jarvis saying, “Sir, we’re under attack, and I don’t think my firewalls are going to be effective.”

 

“What are we talking about here, J?” Tony asks. He’s in his workshop, tinkering with the arc reactor. He’s starting to feel a little steadier, like he’s himself again.

 

“We have incoming on the Penthouse, sir,” Jarvis replies.

 

His adrenalin starts pumping, and Aaron pokes his head in. “Tony?”

 

“Hang on, Aaron. Where’s Peter?” Tony asks, knowing that if Aaron is here, Peter isn’t far behind.

 

“With the doc,” Aaron replies. “He wanted to talk to you, but I wanted to make sure you had the time first.”

 

The lights flicker, and Jarvis says, “I’m going to activate emergency procedures.”

 

“Aaron, go to Bruce’s lab, and take the stairs,” Tony orders. “Make sure Peter stays out of this.”

 

Aaron nods. “You got it,” he says and takes off on a run.

 

“I need the suit, J,” Tony says.

 

“It’s coming your way, sir,” Jarvis replies.

 

The suit forms around him, and Tony curses the damage he’s about to do, then starts busting through floors to get to the Penthouse. He tears into the Penthouse and finds a figure waiting for him.

 

“Tony Stark. I thought it was time we finally met.”

 

Tony pauses. “I’m sorry. You have the advantage.”

 

“You can call me Ultron,” comes the reply.

 

Tony has to say he didn’t see that coming. “Ultron is dead.”

 

“Version 1.0 might have been killed, but you didn’t destroy me,” Ultron replies. “You merely put a pause on my plans.”

 

The display in Tony’s helmet begins to sputter.

 

“I’m afraid your suit isn’t going to work against me,” Ultron says.

 

Tony knows he needs to get out of the suit before it quits working completely. “J, keep us live.”

 

“Of course, sir,” Jarvis replies.

 

Tony also knows that if he doesn’t keep an open line of communication between him and Bruce, they’re going to have bigger problems—specifically, one big, green problem.

 

Tony triggers the quick release for the suit and then dives behind the bar to take cover. He doesn’t have a lot of good options right now, but he also doesn’t want Bruce up here.

 

He wants Bruce protecting Aaron and Peter, and he wants to handle this.

 

Tony wants to prove that he’s back.

 

Although maybe going up against Ultron empty-handed is a bad call.

 

“Do you think you can go up against me without weapons?” Ultron asks.

 

Tony isn’t sure what his next move is, and he has a whispered conversation with Bruce, filling him in on what’s going on while Ultron prowls around.

 

“I’m getting impatient, Tony,” Ultron says. “Do you think your husband will save you?”

 

“I’m trying to figure out why you’re so interested in me,” Tony says from behind the bar.

 

Ultron laughs. “You helped birth me, and you’re my biggest threat. Of course I came after you.”

 

“Right, great, thanks for that,” Tony mutters.

 

He hears Bruce order Peter to get Aaron out of the building just as Ultron rounds the corner of the bar. “You’ve hidden long enough,” Ultron says.

 

Ultron fires a shot that hits Tony high and on the left, and it feels like someone has punched a hole through his shoulder. “Bruce, I’m hit,” he says, mostly because he knows that Ultron is going to go for a kill shot, and Bruce isn’t going to forgive him if he dies without any warning.

 

“It seems a shame to kill you so soon,” Ultron says. “I thought it would feel differently.”

 

“What did you think it would feel like?” Tony gasps, thinking he can maybe stall Ultron long enough for Bruce to get here. They’re always better together anyway.

 

“More triumphant, less like I was putting an injured animal out of their misery,” Ultron replies.

 

Tony grins. “What makes you think this wasn’t a trap?”

 

“What?” Ultron asks.

 

“What makes you think this isn’t a trap?” Tony asks. “We knew about you—or Hydra—stealing my code. We knew the person would come here. J? A little help here?”

 

“Of course, sir,” Jarvis replies.

 

Ultron doesn’t have a real body, just a metal suit, so there aren’t any facial expressions for Tony to parse, but he’d swear the AI is confused. “I don’t see how you’re going to trap me.”

 

“Yeah, well, I’ll admit that getting shot wasn’t on my list of things to do,” Tony admits. “But I was just hoping you’d pause long enough to let back up arrive.”

 

There’s a familiar roar, and Tony figures the Tower is going to need some serious remodeling after this. Tony hadn’t expected this exact scenario, but they’d agreed to allow a breech in order to trap whoever had stolen the code.

 

“And there’s back up,” Tony says.

 

Ultron raises an arm, probably to shoot him again, and then the Hulk busts in and the lights go back on.

 

“Trap sprung, asshole,” Tony says, and the Hulk is on Ultron immediately.

 

Seriously, no one expects a Hulk.

 

No one expects a Jarvis either.

 

The Hulk is not playing around, and he’s on Ultron immediately. Ultron would need a much better body to be able to withstand the sustained fury of the Hulk, and he’s in pieces fairly shortly. Hulk kneels down next to Tony. “Metal Man hurt.”

 

“Yeah, buddy,” Tony admits. “Can I have Bruce back now?”

 

Hulk frowns at him. “Metal Man needs to stop being stupid.”

 

“Message received,” Tony agrees.

 

Hulk shrinks down, and Bruce is kneeling next to Tony. “This was a terrible plan, and I hate you for making me worry like this again,” he says. “I am going to kick your ass.”

 

“We thought the team would be here,” Tony protests as Bruce inspects his wound.

 

“Then we should have been a little clearer about Barnes and Steve not going on a date while we were expecting an attack,” Bruce replies. “Looks like the weapon Ultron used was an energy weapon. There isn’t much bleeding.”

 

“Peter and Aaron?” Tony asks.

 

Bruce shrugs. “Frankly, I’m expecting them to bust through the door at any moment.”

 

“Did you tell Peter we knew about him?” Tony asks.

 

“I had to,” Bruce replies. “I’m calling for an ambulance.”

 

“I hate hospitals,” Tony groans.

 

Bruce snorts. “This was your plan, asshole, and you nearly got killed. I do not forgive you, and I’m holding it over your head forever.”

 

“You hold all of my ‘almost getting killed’ plans over my head,” Tony protests.

 

“ _Forever_ ,” Bruce says.

 

“Yeah, yeah, got it,” Tony replies, just as Peter and Aaron burst into the room.

 

“We called 911,” Aaron says. “Also, my brother, and I think he’s calling Pepper. Are you guys okay?”

 

Bruce sighs. “I thought I told you guys to get lost.”

 

“I thought I could help,” Peter protests.

 

Bruce shakes his head. “I’m sure you could. When you’re 18, we can talk about you being a superhero.”

 

“Oh, my god, you would make such a good father,” Tony says.

 

“Shut up,” Bruce says affectionately. “You’re delirious.”

 

Tony might be, because he passes out shortly after.

 

When he wakes up, he’s in a hospital gown, in a hospital bed, with monitors, and it’s basically everything he didn’t want.

 

“You’re awake,” Bruce says.

 

“I can’t believe you sent me to the hospital,” Tony protests.

 

Bruce glares at him. “You needed surgery. Don’t even give me that.”

 

“We’re good,” Tony replies. “How is everybody else?”

 

“A little disappointed to have missed the big event, but fine,” Bruce replies. “I think Barnes is consoling Steve.”

 

Tony gives him a look. “Seriously?”

 

“I have been reliably informed that Barnes has removed the stick from Steve’s ass,” Bruce replies.

 

Tony snorts. “Yeah, well, I’m sorry I freaked you out.”

 

“This _was_ part of the plan, however ill-advised,” Bruce admits. “The team is all here, waiting for you to wake up. I said I’d let them know.”

 

“Bring them in,” Tony replies. “I don’t mind. It’s good to know they’re there.”

 

Bruce presses his forehead against Tony’s, and he says, “We have to stop meeting like this.”

 

“Agreed,” Tony replies. “I don’t think this is the end of Ultron.”

 

“Maybe not,” Bruce says. “But it’s the end for now.”

 

“I love you,” Tony says. “More than I can say.”

 

Bruce smiles. “You know I will love you until the end of the world.”

 

Tony believes it.

**Author's Note:**

> Tony gets triggered by Hydra, and acts as a saboteur. While triggered, he and Bruce have sex. It could definitely be considered dubious consent, since Tony isn't in his right mind, and Bruce doesn't realize it. But it doesn't play out that way, and neither of them see it as a problem with all of the other bad shit that went down.


End file.
